Jannik Sinner clinched his maiden Paris Masters title on Sunday, defeating Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). The victory ensures he returns to the pinnacle of men’s tennis, reclaiming the World No. 1 ranking from rival Carlos Alcaraz when the ATP rankings update on Monday.
Sinner first held the top spot for 65 weeks after claiming it in June last year, losing it to Alcaraz in September's US Open final. His run in Paris, where he did not drop a set, makes him the first player in two years to win a Masters 1000 without dropping a set, mirroring Alcaraz's 2023 Indian Wells triumph.
The win is Sinner’s fifth title of the season, after missing three months at the start of 2025 for testing positive twice, for traces of clostebol in March last year. The race for the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honors remains tight, with Sinner now trailing Alcaraz by just 1,050 points in the Live Race to Turin. This sets the stage for a climax at the Nitto ATP Finals, where Sinner is the defending champion.
Sinner, who had dropped only one game in his semifinal win against Alexander Zverev, started the final in menacing form by breaking Auger-Aliassime in the opening game. This proved to be the sole break of the first set, characterized by impeccable serving from both players.
Despite the early lapse, the Canadian ninth seed refused to be cowed and displayed resilience throughout the one-hour, 52-minute match. Auger-Aliassime rallied to save all five break points he faced in the second set, utilizing a huge first serve to fend off the Italian's relentless pace.
The tightly contested second set rumbled toward a tie-break. Auger-Aliassime showed great grit to save three break points in the seventh game, and even forced Sinner to deuce while serving to stay in the set at 5-4.
However, in the tie-breaker, Sinner surged ahead at 3-2 after the Canadian committed a loose forehand error. Sinner, known for his composure, never looked back, sealing the victory and the World No. 1 ranking with a backhand down the line on his first championship point.
For Felix Auger-Aliassime, the defeat prevented him from immediately securing his spot at the ATP Finals in Turin. However, his impressive run to the final leapfrogged him ahead of Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the Race to Turin, making him the favorite for the eighth and final berth.
Despite the loss, the 25-year-old has enjoyed a renaissance in 2025, solidifying his place back among the world’s top 10. Sinner, in his post-match address, kept things light, apologizing to the French crowd for speaking English, "Hello everyone. Sorry I cannot speak French! Give me some years maybe."
