Top Flight: Streaking Sinner Captures Paris Crown, Regains World No. 1

By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 2, 2025
Photo credit: Julien De Rosa/AFP/Getty

Impossible is inspiring for Jannik Sinner.

Wimbledon winner Sinner launched his Rolex Paris Masters declaring it’s “impossible” for him to surpass Carlos Alcaraz as year-end No. 1.

Today, Sinner played first-rate dynamic tennis defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6(4) to capture his maiden Rolex Paris Masters crown and regain the world No. 1 ranking.

A decisive Sinner set the tone with superb serving. Sinner served 72 percent, won 40 of 44 first-serve points and did not face a break point collecting his fifth title in 11 tournaments this season.

“It was very a high-quality match. You know, he was serving incredibly well when I had
couple of break chances in the second set,” Sinner said. “But has been an amazing run, Vienna and here, super happy, and of course now we are looking forward to Turin. But I also want to enjoy this moment. It’s a very special day.”

A streaking Sinner scored his 26th consecutive indoor hard-court victory—that’s the sixth longest streak in Open Era history—and claimed his fifth career ATP Masters 1000 crown.

The ninth-seeded Auger-Aliassime played a strong match, but could not trouble Sinner’s serve apart from the 10th game of the second set. Auger-Aliassime, who could have sewn up the eighth spot for the season-ending final in Turin, is entered in Metz next week and is still in control of his destiny ahead of Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the final spot for Turin. Ultimately, both men could make it if Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic, who is playing Athens next week, opts to skip the season-ending event he has dominated in his career.

Returning to the City of Light six months after he failed to convert three championship points suffering a gut-wrenching 4–6, 6–7(4), 6–4, 7–6 (3), 7–6(10–2) loss to Alcaraz in an astounding and epic Roland Garros final, Sinner had the last word supplanting the Spaniard at the top of tennis.

Granted, Sinner’s triumph does not mean he will clinch the coveted year-end No. 1—he must run the table and successfully defend his ATP Finals crown in Turin later this month to even have a shot of finishing as year-end No. 1—but it solidifies his status as the premier indoor player in the world.

“Well, it’s not only in my hands, but I’m of course happy. I knew from the beginning of the week that
there is this chance,” Sinner said of regaining No. 1. “But as I said, you know, before the final, before every tournament or before every match, I try to put the best performance I can on the court, and then
whatever comes, comes.

“And this is how I went on court. In Turin, I’m going to do the same. I watch my side, and I just play the best possible tennis I can, and if it’s not gonna be, it’s not gonna be.

“The goal of this week was to go day by day, trying to maximize my potential, which I have done for this week, and I’m extremely happy. As I said, now we recharge and hopefully be as ready as possible then for Turin, and we hope for a great tennis week there.”

Indoor King 👑

The moment @janniksin won his 26th consecutive indoor hardcourt match and claimed his first #RolexParisMasters title! pic.twitter.com/p968tTmvBZ

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 2, 2025

Consider, Sinner, coming off the Vienna title last week, did not drop a set in tournament wins over Zizou Bergs, Francisco Cerundolo, Ben Shelton, Alexander Zverev and Auger-Aliassime winning his 23rd Tour-level title and improving to 53-6 on the season. In contrast, Alcaraz, playing one of his sloppiest matches of the season, fell to Cameron Norrie in his opener.

The 24-year-old Italian has also displayed more variety in back-to-back title runs in Vienna and Paris deploying the drop shot, playing shorter sharper angles, 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 down the German’s forehand wing. 

In today’s final, Sinner came out attacking Auger-Aliassime’s weaker backhand wing. It’s not that the Canadian’s backhand is a suspect shot, it’s that Auger-Aliassime hits that stroke fairly flat therefore he can’t create the sharp angles Sinner can conjure with pace.

Another issue with Auger-Aliassime’s backhand is when stretched he tends to play the flatter, riskier driver rather than try to loft a higher loopier backhand to give himself time to recover to the center of the court. Sinner knows that and made him pay.

The Wimbledon winner broke to open and quickly backed up the break at 15 for a 2-0 lead.

Even when Auger-Aliassime made a dazzling get, as he did running down a slick half volley from the second seed, Sinner had an answer lifting a loopy lob off the baseline then helped him hold for 4-2.

How has he played a lob from there 😱

Breathtaking, @janniksin #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/PIm3WPEi1b

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 2, 2025

Launching himself above the court, Sinner smoked a sharp-angled forehand winner that helped him reach double-set point. 

Running down an Auger-Aliassime dropper that sat up, Sinner whipped another crosscourt forehand winner, sealing 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 bolted a body serve holding to start the second set.

As the final progressed, Auger-Aliassime played even more assertive tennis though he faced five break points in the second set and Sinner faced no break points in the match.

Tested in a tense seventh game, the Canadian denied three break points, including pounding down an ace on the third break point. Auger-Aliassime thumped his seventh ace taming trouble to hold for 4-3. 

Serving at 4-5, Sinner double faulted to face deuce for the only time in the set. Sinner held firm to level after 10 games.

Both men stamped love holds as the set escalated into the tiebreaker.

Auger-Aliassime, who owns an ATP-best 30 tiebreaker wins this season, blinked just once scattering a forehand down the line wide to cede the mini break and a 3-2 lead to his opponent, 

Sinner slashed a diagonal forehand for 4-2 then came right back cracking the same shot to nearly the same spot leaving the Canadian grunting in vain to earn championship points at 6-4. 

On the 11th shot of the rally, Sinner stepped in and slammed a backhand winner down the line closing his fifth title of the year in one hour, 52 minutes.

Sinner is back at the top of tennis setting up a climactic clash vs. Alcaraz for the Turin title—and No. 1 ranking later this month. 

Buckle Up for what could be a titanic Turin finale.