TURIN, Italy (AFP) — Jannik Sinner reached the Last Four of the ATP Finals on Wednesday after beating Alexander Zverev 6-4, 6-3 to qualify from the Bjorn Borg group with a match to spare.

World No. 1 Sinner is bidding to retain his title at the prestigious end-of-season tournament, and he cruised into the semifinals in front of a delighted crowd in Turin.

The 24-year-old was not at his best and struggled with a hand problem at the start of the match, but still had more than enough to see off Zverev for the fifth straight time.

“I’ve known Sasha for a long time now, and we changed our tactics a bit today. Fortunately, I only needed a break in each set to win. I’m very happy, obviously, let’s see how we go in the next match,” said Sinner on court.

“I’ve played well in recent weeks so I came into the tournament feeling good. We want to go as far as possible but also to play the right way.”

Zverev hasn’t beaten Sinner since the 2023 US Open, being destroyed by the Italian in the semifinals of the recent Paris Masters, and again, the German couldn’t handle the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Sinner was brutal on his serve, rattling in 12 aces, and once he took the first set with his third break point of game 10, he never looked back.

Zverev needed to win in straight sets to book his place in the semis, but will now have to beat Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 winner over Ben Shelton, in his final group match on Friday to progress.

But he cut an irritated figure on court, frustrated by his inability to capitalise on any of his seven break points, a series of unforced forehand errors, and at one point by a flashing advertising sign.

Sinner, meanwhile, will take on Shelton, aiming to top the group and set up a clash with whoever finishes second in the Jimmy Connors Group, which is currently led by his great rival Carlos Alcaraz.

Canada’s Auger-Aliassime won just his second ever match at the season-ending tournament with a battling display, coming back from a poor start to boost his hopes of reaching the semifinals.

“I think I played great, very aggressive, hitting very good balls on backhand and forehand, so I went for it and in the end it paid off,” said Auger-Aliassime to Sky Sport.

Auger-Aliassime’s imposing service game, which included nine aces, eventually broke down Shelton, whose erratic play cost him a debut win at the Finals.

The 25-year-old showed no signs of having the calf problem that affected his opening loss to Sinner, and he will face Zverev on Friday with a chance of making the knockout stage.

“I think there’s a bit of a learning curve everywhere you go. Different tournament, different atmosphere, different format that I never played in, obviously playing the best players in the world,” Shelton told reporters.

Shelton looked to be in control when he won the first set at the first opportunity, breaking Auger-Aliassime’s serve for the second time just after having his initial break canceled out.

Auger-Aliassime won a tight second set, which went with serve until the tie-break, when Shelton had to save three set points before eventually conceding the match lead with a double-fault.

And he won the match at the third time of asking at the end of another bruising set, breaking Shelton and getting a win on the board.