Jannik Sinner begins Nitto ATP Final title defence with victory over an injured Felix Auger-Aliassime in Turin

Jannik Sinner got his ATP Tour Finals title defence off to a solid start with victory over a struggling Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Italian delighted the Turin crowd as he posted a 7-5 6-1 win in one hour and 40 minutes after the Canadian was hampered by a leg issue at the end of the opening set.

It saw the second seed extend his winning streak indoors to 27 matches and secure a fourth-straight triumph over his opponent in 2025.

Auger-Aliassime, who had narrowly lost to the four-time major winner at the Paris Masters last week, went toe-to-toe with Sinner early on and then demonstrated real grit to fend off two break points in a 10-minute examination of his serve in the sixth game.

However, the eighth seed wobbled at the business end of what proved to be a 58-minute opener and after saving a set point at 4-5 and another one at 5-6, he finally buckled on a third with a timid slice into the net.

The Canadian appeared troubled by an issue in his left leg in that final game and laboured as Sinner broke early in the second stanza to lead 3-0.

Auger-Aliassime belatedly saw the physio, but it did little to improve his movement as Sinner raced clear to extend his record at the event to 11-2 and leave question marks over whether we will see the eighth seed again this week.

It’s all over.

Sinner eases through a game to 30 to open his title defence with the win.

It had been a decent contest up until FAA picked up that leg issue and the second-set breadstick was an unfair reflection on how the Canadian was playing or on his efforts to battle through to the finish line when he could so easily have just retired.

Felix continues to give it his best in the circumstances but after drilling a forehand long he faces up to two more break points when Sinner gets him again with a tasty crosscourt dropper.

The Canadian wipes one out with a big serve but then dribbles a volley into the net.

Sinner has the insurance and will now serve for the match.

The intriguing, competitive contest that we saw for much of that opening set has been replaced by what feels like a procession to the end now.

Sinner doesn’t have to maintain such a high level here to post a game to 15 and even shows his ruthless side as he throws in a dropper that would usually be tracked down, but it still gets the better of FAA as he gingerly trots forward to no avail.

Felix does opt to continue after an assessment from the physio.

The eighth seed can’t quite settle and at 30-15 he blasts a drive volley long and a forehand wide.

Sinner again snatches a return into the net to allow his opponent to make deuce, but FAA leaks a backhand long to offer up a second break point.

Jannik fluffs his lines with a return long and Felix works his way to game point with a plus-one forehand that just about does the job.

The Canadian then comes up with a timely clutch serve to get on the board and earn a ripple of appreciative applause from the Turin crowd.

Sinner had done well not to get too distracted by the issues at the other end of the court, but he lapses slightly here as a double fault leaves him with work to do at 0-30.

The Italian resets to bounce back and assume a 40-30 lead, but then drills long to prolong the game at deuce.

Felix is doing well to engage in the rallies but he skews a backhand wide and then rifles one long to allow Jannik to consolidate.

FAA will now see the physio.

Felix slaps a plus-one forehand into the net and is easily passed by a Sinner backhand down the line.

The eighth seed double faults to cough up two break points and then drags a forehand wide.

It had been a close contest, but now it's surely a matter of how many games he can win or when he will retire.

All eyes are on Felix as he returns from a near seven-minute spell off court after appearing to hurt the calf area in that final game of Set 1.

The Canadian’s movement doesn’t look great but he plays through the game as Jannik eases to a game to 15 to kick off the second stanza.

FAA fires backhands wide and long as a 30-0 lead evaporates.

The Canadian zaps a forehand into the net to cough up another set point but Sinner lets him off the hook by following suit.   

The eighth seed looks a touch troubled by something in his leg and when he offers up a second set point of the game - Sinner’s third overall – he tamely slices into the net to end a tight 58-minute opener on a low note from his perspective.

Sinner quickly disregards the near miss in the previous game with a brutal drive volley the pick of his points in a rampant clean hold.

Felix leaves himself with plenty to do as back-to-back unforced errors pique Sinner’s interest at 0-30.

The Canadian reduces the arrears with a scorching first serve down the T and is then relieved to see Jannik snatch a return into the net off a second delivery.

A one-two punch puts the eighth seed in charge, but he blinks again to allow the Italian to turn the screw at deuce.

FAA chucks in yet another unforced error in a poor game from his point of view, but Sinner bullets a very make-able return into the net on set point.

The Italian sees his hopes fade with a backhand that clips the tape and flies off the island and Felix finally lands the big first serve to complete the escape.

Sinner shrugs off a fail on a delicate, knifed volley into the net and resorts to brute force again.

A plus-one drive volley puts him in the box seat and an unreturnable first serve concludes another game for the loss of one point.

FAA flashes a pair of aces and powerhouse second serve to reel off four points in a row after Sinner had outfoxed him on the opening point with a strike down the line that didn’t have the desired effect of raising the heat on his opponent.

In contrast, Sinner romps through a blink and you’ll miss it clean hold to maintain the scoreboard advantage heading into the business end of this opener.

FAA leaves the door ajar with a double fault at 40-15 and Sinner then gets lucky with a shanked return and manages to turn the momentum in the rally his way to force an error into the net.

It paves the path to a first break point of the match from deuce as Felix shanks horribly off the island, but he resets well with a crisp 1-2 forehand punch.

Jannik shows incredible anticipation to keep the game alive as he darts to his right to somehow block back a winner.

Auger-Aliassime shows more nerves with another forehand shank to stave off a second BP but comes up trumps with a smash to repel the danger.

It takes some doing but the Canadian finally puts a 10-minute game to bed with a timely ace.

The server continues to reign supreme here.

Sinner does the heavy lifting with the first serve and cruises to a game to 15.

FAA tried some variations on the return there but nothing paid dividends and he snatched at that last serve and buried his reponse low into the net.

Felix remains poker-faced when he throws in a howler of a miss at 40-15.

Sinner hopes to make the most of reprieve by ramping up the heat to get to deuce, but a serve plus-one leaves the Italian straining to stay in the rally and he can’t quite dig out a crosscourt pick-up off the Canadian’s sweet, stun volley.

Sinner quickly tots up more cheap points of the first delivery and even pockets a service winner courtesy of a superb second serve down the T.

The four-time major winner targets the Canadian’s backhand in the rally that follows and gets the mistake as FAA drills just wide down the line.

There’s a sneaky look towards his team and a cheeky grin from Sinner as he unleashes a spellbinding backhand down the line to make it five points without reply.

That soon changes as FAA lands a pair of aces and a beastly crosscourt forehand of his own on his way to a very tidy hold to 15.

It feels like every point Sinner wins will be cheered like he’s won another title.

The Italian slams away a plus-one forehand and follows with an ace down the T.

FAA does so well to somehow claw back another ferocious serve but is undone again by sublime angle on a crosscourt forehand.

The second seed then seals a supreme love hold with another blockbuster of a serve that doesn’t come back.