Who’s your pick for the Rolex Paris Masters title: Jannik Sinner or Felix Auger-Aliassime? Most people are probably leaning toward Sinner, right? After all, he’s been on fire indoors, winning 25 matches in a row and not dropping a single set all week. With Carlos Alcaraz out early, Sinner now has a real shot at reclaiming the World No. 1 spot. Everything seems to be lining up for him. But hold on, Auger-Aliassime isn’t here to play the supporting role.

He’s been putting together a strong run, lifting trophies in Adelaide, Montpellier, and Brussels. His confidence looks back, his serve is clicking, and he’s striking the ball cleanly again. Just when everyone thought Sinner might win, a tennis analyst made things interesting.

Prakash Amritraj, an analyst for Tennis Channel, recently shocked everyone by making a daring prediction prior to the Paris Masters final. In a pre-final conversation posted on the network’s X account, co-host Dani Klupenger questioned him about Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jannik Sinner, “who’s been battling an illness all week,” and who would prevail. Prakash smiled and said, “Battling with illness, but he’s got this crazy streak going indoors. Sorry… hello, Destiny, I got you. Gotcha. Destiny calling… it’s Felix’s time. He’s playing big-boy tennis, and I think he’s got the upset.”There was humor in the moment, as well as a sincere fear that Felix might surprise everyone in Paris. But it didn’t end there only.

The prediction was turned into an on-air inside joke when Tennis Channel analyst Jim Courier casually noted in a subsequent live segment that Prakash’s new girlfriend’s name is actually Destiny.  But even with the laughter, Courier stayed serious about the match itself. “Listen, you know I love Felix,” he said, “but yeah, I gotta go in this match… I think he’s got momentum, and he’s basically surviving the elements. He’s surviving whatever’s going on internally, but his tennis has just been bulletproof.” Fellow analyst Chanda Rubin agreed, leaning slightly toward Jannik Sinner’s side. And speaking of surprises, Sinner himself had given fans one earlier in the week.

Jannik Sinner did spark some concern after admitting he’s not fully fit during his win over Francisco Cerundolo in the third round of the 2025 Paris Masters. At that time, the four-time Grand Slam champion looked slightly off at times in his 7-5, 6-1 victory, stretching his right leg and moving a little slower between points, especially early in the match.

Despite the discomfort, Sinner didn’t call for medical help and quickly regained control in the second set to dominate his Argentine opponent at the Paris La Defense Arena. After the match, Sinner was honest about his condition.

“I’m trying to manage it as best I can, but it’s clear I’m not at 100%. But we’ll see,” he told reporters. Still, he tried to ease any major worries by adding, “I’m not worried physically. I feel in good shape, also tennis-wise. I hope for a good start, and then we see how it goes.” Maybe he’s not at his peak, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Sinner, it’s that even when his body wavers, his will rarely does.

Yet this time, Felix Auger-Aliassime looks different. And the way he spoke about Sinner before the final almost sounds as if he already believes the win is within reach.

Felix Auger-Aliassime’s pre-match confidence vs. Jannik Sinner’s invincibility

Felix Auger-Aliassime has been putting together a really strong run at the 2025 Paris Masters. Seeded ninth, he’s had to dig deep right from the start,  coming back from a set down in his first two matches and surviving some tight tiebreaks. He fought past Francisco Comesana, Alexandre Muller, and Daniel Altmaier before finding his rhythm. In the quarters, he cruised past Valentin Vacherot 6-2, 6-2, and then defeated Alexander Bublik 7-6(3), 6-4 to reach the final. It’s been one of his best indoor performances of the season, but now he faces his biggest challenge yet, Jannik Sinner.

Before the final, Auger-Aliassime admitted that his last match against Jannik Sinner in Cincinnati, where he lost 6-0, 6-2, was a tough pill to swallow. “That loss was very hard. I was far from winning against him…So this time it was much better,” he said honestly. Still, he believes things could go differently this time. “At one point I saw him doubt. And I actually at one point I nearly had a momentum shift where I could turn the match around in my favor…it was encouraging. These players are not unplayable,” he added.

Auger-Aliassime sounds hopeful but also aware of how dominant Sinner has been. The Italian hasn’t dropped a set all week, beating top players like Ben Shelton and Alexander Zverev with ease. For Auger-Aliassime, this isn’t just a final,  it’s his shot to prove he belongs among the elite and to face his own fears head-on.