“Probably the best match I’ve ever played indoors”: Carlos Alcaraz praises level shown vs Auger-Aliassime as he turns page to Sinner final

Carlos Alcaraz delivered one of his most commanding indoor performances to reach the ATP Finals championship match, overpowering Félix Auger-Aliassime by 6-2, 6-4 with confidence and clarity from the first ball. The Spaniard looked sharp in every department, dictating rallies and finding forehands with ease.

The 6-time major champion secured his 4th consecutive victory in Turin and advanced for the first time to the ATP Finals championship match, where he will face defending champion Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz explained to Tennis Channel that a key factor behind the level he produced against Auger-Aliassime was the connection he felt with the ball. “I think just the way that I felt the ball on the racket… I was really electric, so I could move really fast, I could move really well.”

His movement played a central role in allowing him to take time away from the Canadian, and Alcaraz acknowledged that physical sharpness translated directly into confidence. He described how cleanly he was hitting, emphasising that his court coverage allowed him to take every shot from a balanced position. “I could reach the ball in a really good position every time. That helped me a lot to give myself a lot of confidence during the match,” he said.

The 22-year-old has already secured the year-end World No. 1 ranking—after starting the tournament with a perfect campaign in the Round Robin. The victory against Auger-Aliassime was a demonstration of the confidence he carries in Turin, surpassing in every aspect a player who was in excellent form at the end of the season and climbed to the World No. 5 ranking.

The World No. 1 admitted that this performance may stand above all his previous matches indoors, not just because of the scoreline but because of the quality required. “As you said, it’s probably the best match on an indoor court that I’ve ever played against someone like Félix, who is a really difficult player to face on indoor court with a big serve and big shots,” he explained.

Satisfied with his execution and the timing of such a display, Alcaraz emphasised how meaningful it was to hit this level in the semi-finals of the year-end championship. “I’m just really, really proud and really happy to play this level in the semi-finals,” he concluded.

Looking ahead to the final, Alcaraz welcomed the idea of another high-stakes showdown with Sinner, noting how fitting it feels given the seasons both players have enjoyed. He highlighted that their rivalry has defined the year, with each pushing the other in major matches at the biggest tournaments. “I think this beautiful year that we both deserves another final at the end of the year,” he said.

Both players spent time at the top of the ranking this year, split the four Grand Slam titles—for the second consecutive year—and together amassed 13 titles. This season, they have already faced each other five times, all in finals, with Alcaraz holding a 4-1 positive balance.

This time, they will meet with the Turin crowd expected to be heavily in favor of Sinner, as Alcaraz laughed while admitting that the environment may not be “beautiful” for him, but stressed he would embrace the occasion. “I was going to say beautiful, but I think it’s not going to be beautiful for me with the crowd… I think it’s one of the most difficult challenges that we have in the sport right now: facing Jannik with his home crowd on an indoor court,” he noted.

Despite the pressure and atmosphere he will encounter, the Spaniard insisted that he intends to enjoy the opportunity. Alcaraz expressed his excitement at playing in front of a passionate Italian crowd, even if their support will lean entirely toward his opponent. “I’ll try to enjoy it as much as I can… to play beautiful tennis for the crowd and entertain the people as well,” he concluded.