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Preamble

The typical complications of group stage tennis often result in during this phase of the season-ending championships viewers are commonly confused, hastily looking for a calculator and striving to determine the brain-busting permutations of qualification. However tonight’s match between Zverev and Auger-Aliassime, thankfully, is easy. It’s a straight shootout: the successful player earns a semi-final battle against Alcaraz at this year-end tournament; the loser is eliminated.

Zverev is the predicted winner for this: the elite athlete is the more accomplished player, has previously won at this competition previously on two instances and is ahead in their direct encounters 6-3, securing victories in both the games they've played on an indoor hard court.

Yet … this type of playing field on which Felix has secured most of his championships, he’s riding a high after his compelling comeback against Ben Shelton on midweek and he took out Zverev in the US Championships early stage in August. Plus, conditions are faster in Turin than at the US Open venue, which provides an additional advantage in AA’s benefit.

Should Zverev be cautious, like he was against the Italian, and Felix aggressively challenges the European player with his stinging serves and confident shots, it could well be the young Canadian – the one-time phenom who was earlier slated ahead of Alcaraz and Sinner to replace the Big Three – who secures the uncertain distinction of facing the world No 1 on Saturday.

Play begins: at about 8.30pm local time, 19:30 Greenwich Mean Time.