By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 2, 2025
Photo: Julien De Rosa/AFP/Getty
The impossible is inspiring Jannik the Sinner.
Wimbledon winner Sinner launched the Rolex Paris Masters, declaring it is “impossible” for him to overtake Carlos Alcaraz as the year-end No.1.
Today, Sinner played dynamic first-class tennis Happy Auger-Also 6-4, 7-6(4) to capture his first Rolex Paris Masters crown and reclaim the No. 1 of the world.
A decisive sinner set the tone with excellent serving. Sinner served 72 percent, won 40 of 44 first serve points and did not face a break point in taking his fifth title in 11 tournaments this season.
A Sinner notched his 26th consecutive indoor victory – the sixth-longest streak in Open Era history – and won his fifth career ATP Masters 1000 crown.
The ninth-seeded Auger-Aliassime played a strong match but could not trouble Sinner’s serve except in the 10th game of the second set. Auger-Aliassime, who could have finished eighth for the end-of-season finale in Turin, enters Metz next week and is still in control of his own destiny ahead of Italian Lorenzo Musetti in last place for Turin. Ultimately, both men could make it if Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic, who plays in Athens next week, opts to skip the final event of the season he has dominated in his career.
Returning to the City of Light six months after he failed to claw back three championship points by suffering a crushing 4–6, 6–7 (4), 6–4, 7–6 (3), 7–6 (10–2) loss to Alcaraz in a stunning and epic Roland Garros final, Sinner had the final say in replacing Spain at the top of tennis.
True, Sinner’s triumph does not mean he will achieve the coveted year-end No. 1 – he needs to rule the table and successfully defend his ATP Finals crown in Turin later this month to have even a shot at finishing as the year-end No. 1 – but it solidifies his status as the world’s premier indoor player.
Inner King 👑
moment @janniksin won his 26th straight indoor hardcourt match and won his first #RolexParisMasters title! pic.twitter.com/p968tTmvBZ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 2, 2025
Consider Sinner, coming off the Vienna title last week, not dropping a set in tournament wins over Zizou Bergs, Francisco Cerundolo, Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev and Auger-Aliassime to claim his 23rd tournament-level title and improve to 53-6 on the season. In contrast, Alcaraz, playing one of his slowest games of the season, fell to Cameron Norrie in his opener.
The 24-year-old Italian has also shown more variety in back-to-back title runs in Vienna and Paris, using the strike, playing sharper short corners and producing some positive defensive sequences in today’s final.
In his 6-0, 6-1 demolition of defending champion Alexander Zverev yesterday, Sinner broke the German’s arm.
In today’s final, Sinner came out attacking Auger-Aliassime’s weaker wing. It’s not that the Canadian’s nemesis is a dodgy jab, it’s that Auger-Aliassime lands that jab pretty flat, so he can’t create the sharp angles that Sinner can create with pace.
Another problem with Auger-Aliassime’s backhand is that when he lays out, he tends to play the flatter, riskier driver instead of trying to get a higher backhand to give himself time to recover in the center of the court. Sinner knows this and made him pay.
The Wimbledon winner broke open and quickly backed up the break at 15 for a 2-0 lead.
Even when Auger-Aliassime hit a blinder as she ran a brilliant half volley from the second seed, Sinner had an answer by clearing a stray ball from the baseline and then helping her hold on for 4-2.
How he played a lob from there 😱
Takes your breath away, @janniksin #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/Pim3WPEi1b
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 2, 2025
Heading up the court, Sinner smoked a sharp-angled forehand winner that helped him reach the double point.
Running down an Auger-Aliassime dropkick that landed, Sinner hit another backhand winner, closing out the opening set in 44 minutes.
The second seed served 65 percent and won 20 of 23 service points.
Auger-Aliassime saved a pair of break points and closed a body serve to start the second set.
As the final progressed, Auger-Aliassime played even more confident tennis, although she faced five break points in the second set and Sinner did not face a single break point in the match.
Tested in a tense seventh game, the Canadian denied three break points, including hitting an ace on the third break point. Auger-Aliassime overcame his seventh problem on the ace tame to hold 4-3.
Serving at 4-5, Sinner doubled fault to face deuce for the only time in the set. Sinner remained level after 10 games.
Both men sealed the love as the set escalated to the tiebreaker.
Auger-Aliassime, who owns an ATP-best 30 wins this season, was denied just once by sending a forehand wide to give up the mini break and a 3-2 lead over his opponent.
Sinner sliced ​​a diagonal forehand for 4-2, then came right back hitting the same shot in almost the same spot to leave the Canadian digging in vain to win the championship points at 6-4.
In the 11th shot of the rally, Sinner came in and hit a backhand winner down the line to seal his fifth title of the year in one hour and 52 minutes.
Sinner is back at the top of tennis by setting up a climactic match against Alcaraz for the Turin title—and the No. 1 later this month.
Brace yourselves for what could be a titanic final in Turin.
