By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, November 14, 2025
Photo: Erste Bank Open Facebook
Electric expectations embrace Jannik the Sinner when he takes the stage in Turin before adoring the Italian fans.
Releasing pyrotechnic power, Sinner defused the explosive Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(3) marking his eighth straight win at the ATP Finals today.
Showing a sky-high indoor ceiling, Sinner extended his hardcourt hitting streak to 29 games.
Defending champion Sinner has won 16 straight sets in Turin – he hasn’t dropped a set in Turin since bowing out to the seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the 2023 final—and finished round robin play with a perfect 3-0 record to win the Bjorn Borg Group.
Irresistible @janniksin 😰
Sinner defends Shelton to extend his indoor winning streak!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/0UziXc0hic
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 14, 2025
Facing Shelton’s deadly left serve, Sinner made a serving statement. Sinner served 75 percent, nearly doubled Shelton’s score – 11 to 6 – hit five late-game aces and extended an impressive streak. Sinner, who saved the only break point he faced in the fourth game, has not served in Turin this week.
“Every match is challenging, especially against Ben, outstanding serve,” Sinner said Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterwards. “Sometimes you have some little looks, you know, to break, but at the end of the day if he’s serving bombs, it’s very difficult.
“At the same time, it’s been a great week so far. Seeing myself back in the semi-finals at home, it’s very, very special for me. Today I served well in the important moments. But mostly, the mental aspect has been great. I’m happy to be here. I’m someone who wants to win as many matches as possible, which has made me very happy and allowed me to be.”
No one worships Jannik like Torino ❤️🇮🇹@janniksin #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/yRy4XGpDwC
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 14, 2025
ATP Finals debutant Shelton ends his week without a win in three round-robin matches. Shelton went one-hit to secure the No. 1 ranking. 1 of the American year-end and played a good match today. Shelton is the first man in two years to test Sinner in a set tiebreaker, but ultimately his two-handed backhand couldn’t withstand Sinner’s suffocating shots as he fell to 1-8 lifetime against the world No.2. Shelton showed signs of why he can be so dangerous with his left jabs. The weaker backside was exposed in extended rallies and he couldn’t get enough to the net in suffering his eighth straight loss against Sinner.
“Everybody’s wired differently. Me coming back from the sidelines for a while (after the US Open injury), I need a little bit to find my rhythm,” Shelton told media in Turin. “Trying to do that at the end of the year when guys are really in good shape is tough.
“For me, I’m going to find it. I’m going to find my moves, all the different shots around the court that I need. Today I played a good game from the baseline, from the net. Honestly, we just served. That’s been kind of a theme in all three matches I’ve played here: guys served better than me. That’s not the biggest concern. I know I have a big serve.”
Defeat means 2024 finalist Taylor Fritzwho was eliminated from semifinal competition in a 7-6(3), 6-3 loss to Alex de Minaur yesterday, maintains the ranking no. 1 year-end American. Fritz is number 5 inches ATP Live rankingswhile Shelton, who was ranked No. 5, ends a strong season that saw him win his first Masters crown in Toronto, drops to No. 9 in the ATP Live rankings.
The number two sinner’s serve has been so unbreakable in Turin that you wonder if he is wielding a steel bat. In the second set, the bumper guard at the top of the Sinner’s Head racket was removed, and that was really the only slight glimpse of a crack in his imposing game.
It’s a problematic matchup for Shelton because the lanky Sinner can use his wide armspan to hit backhands down the stretch and because Sinner can deconstruct Shelton’s stiff arm, which is the American’s weakest arm.
It didn’t take long for Sinner to make a comeback statement.
The defending champion pulled off two back-to-back breaks to open the match. Sinner sent an ace out to confirm the break for 2-0.
Although a confident Shelton earned a break point in the fourth game, he was unable to convert. Sinner passed a challenging score for 3-1.
Stretching the baseline, Sinner not only forced Shelton into extended exchanges, he sometimes burned him by steamrolling the lane.
Sinner scorched a forehand down the line for two set points in the ninth game. Shelton saved the first but hit the net on the second. Sinner scored his second break to grab a one-set lead after 39 minutes.
In the second set, Sinner showed off his pyrotechnic power and damaging drives by hitting an ace wide to hold 4-3. Shelton sealed a hold to love – his third hold of the set – even after eight games.
Two games later, Sinner won match point on Shelton’s serve. The fifth-seeded American hammered a short forehand down the line to save match point. Shelton fired a diagonal armbar into the corner hold to set up a 5-all deadlock.
Tested in a tiebreaker in Turin for the first time since his 2023 semi-final victory over Daniil Medvedev, Sinner was moving freely from the start.
The Wimbledon winner hit a backhand down the line behind Shelton for the mini-break and a 2-1 lead. Two points later, Sinner swept his 11th ace to extend to 4-1.
“Here, closed courts, he’s hitting the lines a lot on the serve. Define accuracy,” Shelton said of Sinner’s serve. “It’s easier to serve indoors in general.
“If you look at the three guys I played, how tight they were on the lines. He was probably the closest of the three. But it’s a little difference between him, Zverev and Felix, what they’ve done this tournament.”
A great knife volley from Shelton helped him close the gap to 3-4, but that was Shelton’s last stand in goal.
Standing right in center court, Sinner stepped on the ball like a master matador and crushed a 98 mph inside-out winner for 5-3 and backed it up with a deft backhand volley for match point at 6-3.
When Shelton’s rejection failed him again, Sinner was the winner in one hour and 34 minutes.
The Bjorn Borg Sinner champion will face de Minaur in tomorrow’s semi-final with year-end world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz facing the winner of today’s final round-robin match between former two-time champion Alexander Zverev and two-time US Open semi-finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime.
When looking ahead to future rounds, Sinner has a habit of using the phrase “let’s see what’s coming.”
If past is prologue, the destruction of demons may lie ahead. Sinner is 12-0 lifetime against de Minaur, including winning seven of the eight sets they’ve played in 2025.
“I think this is a very unique place to play tennis, especially for me being Italian,” Sinner said. “You know, we only have a few chances (at home), which is Roma and here and that’s it.
“I just try to make the home crowd happy. I try to bring good, calm energy at the end of the day they want to watch some good tennis matches and we’re here trying to provide that. To do that, you have to play the best players in the world. I’m happy to be one of them and I’m happy to be in the semi-finals. It’s a special place, it’s a special place, it’s a place where I’ll feel comfortable.”
