Auger-Aliassime vaults to top five in Turin's glow

The ATP Tour season wrapped under the bright lights of the Pala Alpitour on Sunday night, where Jannik Sinner outdueled Carlos Alcaraz in a tense final to secure the Nitto ATP Finals title in Turin for the second straight year. This electrifying close highlighted the relentless drive of players who turned autumn's grind into golden opportunities. With the PIF ATP Rankings locked in their final update as of November 17, the movers of the week stand out for their tactical sharpness and mental resilience amid the season's fading echoes.

Auger-Aliassime topples giants in Turin

Felix Auger-Aliassime surged three places to No. 5, claiming a career-high ranking through sheer determination on the indoor hard courts. He dismantled Ben Shelton in the round-robin opener, using precise kick serves wide to the deuce side that jammed the American's return and set up inside-out forehands to control the baseline tempo. That straight-sets win built straight into a gritty quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev, where Auger-Aliassime's underspin backhands slowed the German's power game, forcing errors and opening lanes for down-the-line winners in the decider.

These victories carried him to the semifinals, each point a testament to his evolved serve-return balance that neutralized big hitters. The Canadian's flat groundstrokes found rhythm on the fast surface, mixing crosscourt depth with occasional slice approaches to keep opponents off-balance. At 25, this Turin run felt like a release, channeling the stability from his September marriage into focused aggression that silenced earlier doubts.

Late surge reshapes his season arc

Back in August, Auger-Aliassime sat at No. 27, but he ignited a 21-6 record since the US Open, a streak that revealed his growing command of hard-court transitions. In New York, his semifinal push showcased bold returns, stepping inside the baseline to chip underspin at Alcaraz-style serves and redirect pace with inside-in backhands that wrong-footed defenders. Shanghai's quarters followed, where patient topspin rallies pushed rivals deep, creating short angles for his one–two punch of serve and forehand.

Brussels delivered his third title, as he adapted to the indoor clay with looser grips and more drop shots to disrupt grinders, while the Paris Masters final amplified his momentum amid roaring crowds. This versatility—dialing up volleys to 65 percent success on faster decks—netted crucial ranking points, transforming mid-season frustrations into top-five certainty. He ends the year with a game primed for majors, where such adjustments could unlock deeper contention.

Musetti climbs amid home roar

Lorenzo Musetti rose one spot to No. 8, capping a year that began at No. 17 with a 45-22 record marked by tactical poise. His three-set thriller over Alex de Minaur in Turin's round-robin electrified the local fans, as backhand slices curved sharply on the indoor hard to pull the Australian wide and induce net rushes. That win, packed with 42 winners, echoed his Monte-Carlo final at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where clay's spin favored his one-handed flair to challenge elites.

Musetti's growth shone in surface shifts, shortening swings against speed on fast courts while extending rallies on slower ones to force errors. The partisan energy in Turin tested his focus, yet he thrived, turning crowd pressure into propulsion. As 2026 looms, his matchup savvy positions him for breakthrough runs, blending artistry with the grit to sustain top-10 status.