Sinner seizes Paris Masters crown to reclaim world number one ranking

PARIS :Italy's Jannik Sinner powered past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6(4) to capture his maiden Paris Masters title on Sunday, a triumph that catapulted the Italian back to the summit of the men's rankings ahead of the ATP Finals.

The second seed knew only victory would suffice to leapfrog rival Carlos Alcaraz atop the standings and he delivered in style to become just the fourth player in tournament history to lift the trophy without dropping a set.

For Auger-Aliassime, the stakes were equally high but the outcome crushingly different. The Canadian ninth seed needed the title to secure his spot at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, but instead saw his hopes dashed in a high-quality final.

Sinner's Paris conquest marked his first Masters crown of the year and fifth title of 2025, extending his remarkable indoor hardcourt winning streak to 26 matches.

'INTENSE FINAL'

"It's huge, honestly. It was such an intense final here and we both knew what's on the line. Also him, he's in a very tough and difficult spot, but from my side I'm extremely happy," Sinner said in an on-court interview.

"The past couple of months have been amazing. We've tried to work on things, trying to improve as a player. Seeing these kind of results makes me incredibly happy.

"Another title this year, it has been an amazing year, no matter what comes now in Turin. I'm extremely happy."

Sinner made his intentions clear from the opening game, breaking Auger-Aliassime's serve before consolidating the break as he controlled rallies while the Canadian leaked unforced errors.

Despite the majority of the crowd rallying behind the underdog, Auger-Aliassime struggled to match Sinner's relentless power and precision.

SINNER UNTOUCHABLE ON SERVE

Sinner proved