The Japan Times - Sinner completes perfect ATP Finals group stage by seeing off Shelton

Italian Sinner took one hour and 35 minutes to see off spirited Shelton who bowed out of his debut Finals in Turin without a win from his three matches in the Bjorn Borg Group.

Sinner will face Alex de Minaur in the first semi-final on Saturday afternoon, when he will be red-hot favourite to reach his third final in as many years at the season-ending tournament.

The 24-year-old hasn't dropped a set at the Finals since losing the 2023 final to Novak Djokovic and he hasn't even had to play his best tennis to rattle off wins against three of the best players on the planet.

Sinner started Friday's match by immediately breaking Shelton's serve and from there kept up the pressure without ever giving Shelton, the world number five, any chance of victory.

Sinner is on course for yet another final showdown against Carlos Alcaraz, who before Friday's match was handed the award for securing the year-end top spot in the men's rankings.

Alcaraz, who made sure he would end 2025 top of the pile on Thursday night, has won four of his five meetings with Sinner this season, all have been in finals of top-level tournaments -- with two deciding Grand Slams.

Sinner came out on top at Wimbledon but was on the losing side of one of the greatest tennis matches when he threw away a two-set lead in the French Open final in June.

The semi-final line-up will be completed later on Friday when Alexander Zverev and Felix Auger-Aliassime battle for the chance to finish second behind Sinner and set up a last-four clash with Alcaraz.

K.Yoshida--JT