Sinner reclaims No. 1 ranking after beating Auger-Aliassime in Paris Masters final

PARIS (AP) — Jannik Sinner reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in men's tennis after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the Paris Masters final on Sunday.

The four-time Grand Slam champion from Italy replaced six-time major winner Carlos Alcaraz at the top as he extended his indoor winning streak to 26 matches, following up victory in Vienna last Sunday with his first Paris title.

The ninth-seeded Auger-Aliassime needed to win the tournament at La Défense Arena to clinch the eighth and final spot for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.

But Sinner did not concede a break point chance in the match and won the tournament without dropping a set.

“It’s huge, honestly. It was such an intense final here and we both knew what’s on the line," Sinner said. “For him it’s a very tough and difficult spot but from my side I’m extremely happy.”

Sinner beat Auger-Aliassime for the third straight time — including in the semifinals at this year’s U.S. Open — and now leads the Canadian 3-2 in head-to-heads.

“He was serving extremely well,” Sinner said. "You have to use your small chances well.”

Auger-Aliassime is one of the most consistent players indoors but overall he was unable to trouble Sinner in a one-sided contest which saw Sinner at his clinical best as he won his fifth title of the year and 23rd of his career.

Sinner won on his first match point with a crisp two-handed backhand down the line, tilted his head back and raised his arms. He then patted his heart as he waved his racket to the crowd.

“The past couple of months have been amazing. We tried to work on things, tying to improve as a player and seeing this kind of result makes me extremely happy,” Sinner said. “It has been an amazing year no matter what comes in Turin.”

Although Auger-Aliassime had more aces — eight compared to six — Sinner won 91% of first-serve points compared to 81 for his opponent.

“Everything was on the quality of his serve,” Auger-Aliassime said. “Hats off to him.”

Auger-Aliassime, who has won titles this year in Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels, received a time violation warning from chair umpire Nacho Forcadell when serving at 30-30 in the ninth game of the second set.

At the changeover, Auger-Aliassime stood and questioned Forcadell, who told him he should have been ready.

Auger-Aliassime disagreed.

“I was ready to receive the balls, I didn’t have the balls (from the ball kids),” he said. “If I don’t have the balls, how can I get ready to serve? I didn’t have one ball in my hand.”

Auger-Aliassime then sat down and muttered to Forcadell: “You’re not serious. You’re really not serious, you’re really, really not serious.”

Sinner served out the first set, clinching it with a whipped forehand winner at the net when his opponent’s drop shot sat up invitingly.

There was a brief glimpse of hope for Auger-Aliassime when he was 5-4 up and took Sinner to deuce on his serve in the 10th game.

But an unforced error — a loose forehand long — let the Italian off. Sinner followed up with a love hold, featuring one exquisite drop shot followed by a clinical lob.

After the defeat, Auger-Aliassime sat on his chair for a few moments with his head bowed.

“It was difficult having to sit there rethinking a few points, having to accept that the match is over,” he said. “I wish I didn't make those mistakes to start the match with, I can't give him that at the level he plays.”

Beating Sinner is a massive challenge indoors.

“There's no weather conditions that can impact the court, it's hard,” Auger-Aliassime said. “He's so balanced and so well-poised in his defense. On his return game, he's balanced everywhere.”

He still has a chance of reaching Turin and is vying with Italian Lorenzo Musetti. Both will be in action at ATP 250 tournaments, with Musetti playing in Athens and Auger-Aliassime the top seed in Metz, France.

Next up for Sinner?

“I will take a couple of days off. It's very important now for the body but also for the mind," the 24-year-old said. “Recharge and hopefully be as ready as possible then for Turin.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy after winning the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Jannik Sinner holds the trophy after winning the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime reacts during the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament against Italy's Jannik Sinner in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns to Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime during the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, left, and Italy's Jannik Sinner pose before the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Italy's Jannik Sinner returns to Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime during the final match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament in Paris, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Formally dressed in a traditional Qatari bisht, Dr. Nasser Mohamed strolled past a crowd of several hundred people outside Chase Center as the England-Croatia World Cup match was shown high above on the big screen. His gold-and-black robe featured a flourish: rainbow piping down each sleeve and the words “love” and “freedom” written in Arabic.

“That’s why the World Cup is really powerful, because people don’t need to hear about who I am — I can just walk, be seen, and that’s it,” he said. “We don’t have to say a word.”

Four years ago, when the World Cup was played in his home country and Mohamed was already living across the world in San Francisco, he came out and became an exceptionally rare openly gay man from Qatar, where gay sex is prohibited and he can't dress how he'd like.

Mohamed is speaking up again for those without a voice. The 39-year-old now feels secure enough to walk around with confidence, and without fear of harm, while wearing chunky heeled boots, mascara and 2-inch dangly earrings. He still gets regular backlash and hate, but he has also found support and kindness from around the globe that helps drown out the death threats and divisiveness.

“I am so loved in San Francisco, really, truly,” Mohamed said of the city he moved to more than a decade ago. “I have not worn this since I was a kid in Qatar, and San Francisco put it back on my shoulders, with rainbows.”

For him, donning the bisht for everyone to see is important: “The emir of Qatar put it on (Lionel) Messi at the last World Cup to celebrate Messi. We should be celebrated too.”

An LGBTQ+ activist and family doctor who treats HIV, “Dr. Nas” — as he is known — launched his “Love is the Goal” campaign ahead of the World Cup and Pride Month, hoping to humanize all people taking part. For a video, he combined soccer lingo with references to love, such as him reading “love is kickoff, the very first touch,” and someone else offering “love is the assist, finding you exactly where you are.”

“Saving a life like mine is very expensive, and I know that, and this is the hard truth,” Mohamed said. “So that’s why I had to pave my own path and get out. I lost everything. I’m disowned completely. I had to build myself from scratch, the ground up, all of it.”

On Wednesday, Qatar plays its final group-stage match, against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle. Mohamed won't be there, but he was at the team's first game, on June 13 in Santa Clara, California. He had clear and visible security, and was escorted by California state Sen. Scott Wiener to the 1-1 draw with Switzerland. A photo from the day has more than 12 million views on social media.

“As I was passing, everybody was taking pictures of me with the senator,” he recalled. “It was so dramatic.”

And emotional.

“In the stadium I couldn’t speak because if I started talking I’m not going to stop crying, because when am I going to see Qatar again in my life?” Mohamed said through tears. “When is it ever going to happen again? I don’t know. When am I going to see home? I can’t see Mom and Dad, even when they were getting hit by missiles.”

After the game, he hosted a dance party at the San Francisco Mint highlighted by a performance “Let Your Love Shine,” written by close friend Simon Tam and sung by Debby Holiday.

“Nas’ journey moves me because it is rooted in extraordinary courage and an enormous heart,” Tam said. “He’s taken his own truth and turned it into a way to help others feel seen, worthy, and less alone.”

Tam believes Mohamed can change the world — and that's the doctor's hope, too.

“The first step to heal is to witness things the way they are,” Mohamed said. “My endgame is for every child to belong with their own family and their own society.”

Still, it breaks his heart knowing he can't go back to Qatar. Mohamed has been ostracized by his own family because of his sexuality and for standing up to power to help others. For those in need, including a transgender woman who had been imprisoned and tortured, he has aided their moves out of Qatar and secured resources so they could rebuild their lives elsewhere.

Mohamed is thankful for this new existence, embracing the obstacles that come with his work, even as he believes his safety could be at stake.

“We all fled persecution and took political asylum in the U.S., and now we invited all of them to come here to play soccer,” he said. “I didn’t feel safe leaving my apartment.”

Still, after everything, he roots for Qatar — and the Americans. He plans to watch the U.S. during the round of 32 next week in Santa Clara.

“I am cheering for both the United States and for Qatar with love,” he said. “They both had homes for me and, when I challenge either of them, it is out of love, and I mean it.”

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup

Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)