Follow us on Google Discover Alexander Zverev will play Jannik Sinner for the third time in three weeks at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The German star lost to Sinner in the final of the Vienna Open and the semifinals of the Paris Masters recently.
He now trails the world number one 4-5 in their head-to-head, having led 4-1 just over a year ago.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
The record doesn’t bode well for Zverev heading into the ATP Finals, as he and Sinner are set to headline the ‘Bjorn Borg Group’.
During a pre-tournament press conference, Zverev was asked if he would rather have been placed in the same group as Carlos Alcaraz than Sinner.
Alexander Zverev says Jannik Sinner is the best player in the world and thinks Carlos Alcaraz would agree
Zverev didn’t hesitate to tell the world he’d rather play Alcaraz than Sinner.
“Carlos!” he said.
“It doesn’t matter, to be honest. Well, it matters, but they are both the best players in the world for sure.
“But for me, on this particular surface and indoors on a faster hard court, I feel like this court is much faster than Paris. I think Jannik [Sinner] is the best player in the world, and I think if you ask Carlos [Alcaraz], Carlos would probably agree.
“Of course, anybody can beat anybody, and of course, Carlos can beat Jannik and the other way around.
“But also the last two years with Carlos in one group, I was able to win both of those matches.
2023 ATP Finals RR – Alexander Zverev defeated Carlos Alcaraz (6-7, 6-3, 6-4)2024 ATP Finals RR – Alexander Zverev defeated Carlos Alcaraz (7-6, 6-4)
“It’s not like one is here [up here] and the other is there [down low]. I was hoping they were both in the same group as each other, and we could play a different tournament!”
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Another member of the ‘Bjorn Borg Group’, Ben Shelton, provided a very different response.
“I think that my first time playing in this event here in Italy, I am somebody who likes big crowds and feeling the energy from the crowd, whether it is with me or against me,” he said.
2025 ATP Finals ‘Bjorn Borg Group ‘SeedPlayerCountryBest ATP Finals performance2Jannik SinnerItalyChampion – 20243Alexander ZverevGermanyChampion – 2018, 20215Ben SheltonUSA–8 (TBD)Felix Auger-AliassimeCanadaRR – 20228 (TBD)Lorenzo MusettiItaly–
“I hoped that I was in the group of whatever Italians were in the tournament, to be able to feel that and experience that. I thought it would be very cool.
“I don’t know if that’s the exact answer that you were looking for on what I hoped, but I thought it would be a cool experience to play an Italian here in Torino.”
Shelton may well get to play two Italians in Turin, should Lorenzo Musetti sneak into the competition with a win at the Hellenic Championship in Greece.
It remains to be seen who will advance from the ‘Bjorn Borg Group’, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action when the tournament begins on Sunday, November 9.
Alexander Zverev’s record against Carlos Alcaraz
Zverev insisted he’d prefer to play Alcaraz over Sinner, but how well has he performed against the six-time Grand Slam winner over the years?
MatchWinnerLoserScore2025 Cincinnati Open – SFCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-4, 6-32024 ATP Finals – RRAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz7-6, 6-42024 French Open – FCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-22024 Indian Wells – QFCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-3, 6-12024 Australian Open – QFAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-42023 ATP Finals – RRAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz6-7, 6-3, 6-42023 US Open – QFCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-3, 6-2, 6-42023 Madrid Open – 4RCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-1, 6-22022 French Open – QFAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-72022 Madrid Open – FCarlos AlcarazAlexander Zverev6-3, 6-12021 Vienna Open – SFAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz6-3, 6-32021 Mexican Open – 1RAlexander ZverevCarlos Alcaraz6-3, 6-1Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz’s head-to-head record
There’s been nothing to separate the pair through 12 career meetings, as Zverev and Alcaraz are tied at 6-6 in their head-to-head.
It was Alcaraz, however, who won their last encounter, picking up the win in the semifinals of the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
Zverev will no doubt be on the lookout for revenge should they face off at this year’s tour finals.
The pair could potentially meet in the semifinals, depending on where they finish in their respective groups.
Alcaraz will begin his ATP Finals campaign on Saturday against Alex de Minaur, while Zverev takes on Shelton.