Jannik Sinner is on a remarkable winning streak, having secured fifteen consecutive victories, with his last defeat occurring over a month ago. His only loss came during the Shanghai tournament when he had to retire mid-match against Tallon Griekspoor. Since then, the Italian star has been unstoppable, clinching titles at the exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, the ATP 500 in Vienna, and the Masters 1000 in Paris. At this year’s ATP Nitto Finals in Turin, Sinner showcased his strong form by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime in his opening group match without facing a single breakpoint. He followed this up by overcoming Alexander Zverev in straight sets, once again demonstrating his dominance. As the defending champion in Turin, Sinner continues to impress, having recently triumphed over Taylor Fritz in last year’s final.
Conversely, American player Ben Shelton has had a tougher road, losing three of his last five matches. His challenging performance included a straight-sets defeat to Sinner in the quarterfinals at the recent Paris tournament. In this week’s Turin Finals, Shelton also fell to Zverev, where the German did not give him any breakpoints and capitalized on two service breaks against Shelton. In his second group match, Shelton fought valiantly against Auger-Aliassime but ultimately lost in three tight sets after leading the opening set 6-4. This tournament marks Shelton’s debut at the ATP Nitto Finals.
In terms of the upcoming matchup between Sinner and Shelton, bookies designate Sinner as the favorite, a sentiment echoed by analysts due to his overwhelming performance in Turin and against Shelton just two weeks prior. It’s anticipated that Sinner will continue to thrive on home soil and secure a similar outcome. Those looking at betting angles might find good value in Sinner covering the -4.5 games handicap, currently offered at 1.83 odds.
On the other side, Zverev has a mixed record with three wins in his last five matches. He began the Turin campaign by defeating Shelton without facing breakpoints but then fell to Sinner. In previous years, Zverev had strong performances in Turin, having been crowned champion twice, although he experienced a semifinal exit last season against Fritz.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, has also experienced a rollercoaster of results, winning three of his last five matches. He reached the final in Paris two weeks ago, only to be defeated by Sinner. In his opening match in Turin against Sinner, Auger-Aliassime struggled despite a competitive first set. However, a significant turnaround in his form came during his second group match against Shelton, where he showcased resilience to secure victory after losing the initial set.
Looking forward, Auger-Aliassime is seen as a slight underdog in his matchup against Zverev. However, despite the odds, his previous success against Zverev at the US Open offers a glimmer of hope. Analysts suggest Auger-Aliassime could cover the +2.5 games handicap, providing an attractive betting option at 1.80 odds.
With both matches promising thrilling encounters, fans and bettors alike have much to look forward to in this intense ATP Nitto Finals in Turin.