In a commanding display at the 2025 Paris Masters final, Jannik Sinner defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6(4) to reclaim the World No. 1 ranking. The victory, which marked Sinner’s first Paris Masters title, extended his impressive indoor winning streak to 26 matches and was his third consecutive win against the Canadian, having also beaten him in the semifinals of the U.S. Open earlier in the year.

For Auger-Aliassime, though the loss was a tough blow as the final automatic qualification spot for the year-end finals is still up for grabs, it still gives him a 650 point boost before Moselle, keeping him ahead of Daniil Medvedvev. As for his opponent, Sinner was clinical throughout the tournament, not dropping a single set on his path to the trophy, looking his unassailable best.

During the trophy ceremony, Felix Auger-Aliassime graciously acknowledged his opponent’s achievement, stating, “Merci. It’s never easy to lose in a final… but Jannik, congrats to you and your team. You push all the players and myself to improve and get better. I can only give you credit and tip my hat off to all the improvement since we’ve known each other. I think we were playing FIFA when we were 16 or 17.”

This heartfelt admission underscores a powerful dynamic on the ATP Tour: the presence of a dominant force like Sinner creates a rising tide that lifts all boats, compelling his rivals to elevate their own games in response. Auger-Aliassime’s words reflect a shared history and a professional respect forged over years of competition, tracing back to their junior days.

Jannik Sinner’s own comments leading into the final highlight the mutual respect between the two players. Before their match in Paris, Sinner spoke highly of Auger-Aliassime, noting, “He’s playing incredible tennis. He’s improved a lot, especially in the last few months. He’s found his game again. I can’t wait for tomorrow. Playing against him, especially in the final, is a great opportunity for both of us. Obviously, we hope it will be a great final.”

He continued, “I’m very happy for Felix. He’s one of the nicest guys on the tour. Sharing the final with him will be something special. We’re both trying to push each other to our limits. It’s going to be very difficult. I’m just very happy. I’m going to enjoy the atmosphere. After this match, I know I’ll have a few days off. That helps too.”

The phenomenon Auger-Aliassime described—where a top competitor forces the entire field to improve—was on full display in his own recent performances. His run to the Paris Masters final, which included a straight-sets win over the in-form Shanghai Masters champion Valentin Vacherot, demonstrated his own elevated level. However, for Sinner, this isn’t the first time the Italian has appreciated his opponent’s efforts, showcasing nothing but sportsmanship.

Even a fierce competitor like Jannik Sinner is human first

Jannik Sinner might be known for feeding off his opponents’ fears on the court, but at the end of the day, he’s still just a human before anything else. One of his recent matches really shows that perfectly. Sinner and Alexander Zverev were set for an exciting semifinal at the Paris Masters, ready to face off again after their showdown in last week’s Vienna Open final. But it ended up feeling pretty one-sided.

Zverev, fresh off a grueling two-and-a-half-hour quarterfinal battle with Daniil Medvedev, where he saved two match points, appeared to have some physical struggles right from the start. His forehand just wasn’t clicking, and he really struggled to find any rhythm with Sinner applying that constant pressure. The Italian quickly jumped to a 3-0 lead in just 15 minutes and finished off the first set with a score of 6-0. This was the first time Zverev lost a set without winning a game since the 2023 French Open. After the match, Sinner did something really heartfelt. He scribbled “Get Well Soon” on the camera lens for his opponent.

In the post-game interview, Sinner mentioned, “When you drop the physicality like he did, you can’t find full power on the serve. Obviously I’m happy to be in the final. But it’s not how you want to arrive. Playing against Sascha is always a special occasion. Today he was not 100%. We saw that. He was struggling physically.”

He went on to say, “He had a very tight schedule in the past months. Yesterday he won an incredible match from 2 match points down. It’s also difficult mentally and physically. He made the final in Vienna. Semis here again. It’s an incredible run for him. We all hope he gets better and fit for Turin. From my side I’m very happy to be in the final.” This display of sportsmanship really shows the respect between the two rivals, even with the fierce competition in the tennis world.