Jannik Sinner to send out fearsome warning as Novak Djokovic impact is felt – ATP Finals Day 2 predictions
The first day of the ATP Finals served up an important win for Carlos Alcaraz and now his battle with Jannik Sinner to finish the 2026 season as the world No 1 is set yp have another twist on Monday night in Turin.
Alcaraz needs to win three matches at the ATP Finals to secure the world No 1 ranking, while Sinner probably needs to retain the crown he won last year to win the tussle for top spot.
Now the time has come for Sinner to start his campaign in front of the Italian fans who will be cheering him all the way when he takes on Felix Augere-Aliassime, in what promises to be a tough opening match for the Australian Open and Wimbledon champion.
Novak Djokovic’s decision to withdraw from the tournament the evening before it got underway threw the schedule into chaos, with organisers who had planned to have the Serbian taking on America’s Taylor Fritz forced to switch that up as Lorenzo Musetti will now take his place.
Sinner was due to play Augere-Aliassime if Djokovic has stayed in the ATP Finals draw and it has now been confirmed that his opening match will be against the second of those players.
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Here are the Tennis365 predictions for Day 2 at the ATP Finals in Turin:
Taylor Fritz vs Lorenzo Musetti – 2pm (CET)
Head-to-head record: Musetti leads 3-2
Fritz was expected to be preparing for a 12th meeting with Novak Djokovic, with his record of losing all 11 matches against the Serbian suggesting that would have been a tough task, so he is the first big winner after the Serbian’s last gasp withdrawal.
While he has a losing record against Musetti, Fritz’s preparations for this match means he should fancy his chances of getting his ATP Finals campaign off to a flying start with a win.
Musetti has been cramming in tournaments in a bid to qualify for the ATP Finals and that is certain to have taken its toll on a player who may have wondered why Djokovic waited so long to declare he would not play in Turin.
The Italian fans will cheer on Musetti and he will need their support, but Fritz should have the firepower to win.
Verdict: Fritz to beat a jaded Musetti in straight sets.
Jannik Sinner vs Felix Augere-Aliassime – 20:30 (CET)
Head-to-head record: Sinner leads 3-2
Sinner has huge expectations on his shoulders playing in front of his Italian fans, but he will relish that pressure as he looks to record another win in Turin.
The defending champion is taking on the dark horse to reach the latter stages in this competition, with Augere-Aliassime taking a set from Sinner in their US Open semi-final in September and he was competitive against the most fearsome opponent in the men’s game as they met in the Paris Masters final a week ago.
Augere-Aliassime’s preparations for the ATP Finals were also affected by Djokovic’s refusal to confirm whether he would play, as the Canadian was forced to wait before his place in the Turin line-up was confirmed.
Now that he is getting his chance to compete, this master of indoor tennis will get first crack at the favourite Sinner.
Verdict: A three-set win for Sinner, with Augere-Aliassime sneaking a set on a tie-break.
