Alcaraz praises Sinner's rebound in Turin's final duel
Carlos Alcaraz emerges from a hard-fought loss at the Nitto ATP Finals with respect for Jannik Sinner's growth, turning personal setbacks into shared motivation for their defining rivalry.
Under the glare of Turin's Inalpi Arena, the Nitto ATP Finals climaxed in a battle that etched deeper lines in one of tennis's fiercest rivalries. Carlos Alcaraz, the season's relentless force, pushed Jannik Sinner to the brink before the Italian claimed his second straight title. The 22-year-old Spaniard walked off not diminished, but affirmed in his own rising command of the indoor game, where every rally carried the weight of a year defined by majors and mastery.
Sinner's growth fuels rivalry's fire
Alcaraz's post-match reflections brimmed with admiration for his opponent's unyielding drive, a trait that has repeatedly tilted their encounters. Sinner, now 24, extended his indoor winning streak to 31 matches, a run that showcased his sharpened serve and baseline poise after Alcaraz's victory over him in the US Open final back in September. The Italian's response in Turin narrowed their head-to-head to 6-10, his flat groundstrokes and varied placements turning the fast courts into a pressure chamber where returns demanded precision.
The crowd's tension built with each crosscourt exchange, Alcaraz's inside-out forehands testing Sinner's backhand while the Italian countered with deep serves that crowded the lines. He noted how his rival absorbs losses like lessons, emerging with tactical edges that make every point a mental skirmish. This psychological rebound, evident in the one–two patterns that pinned Alcaraz back, underscores why their matches feel like the tour's emotional core, blending raw athleticism with strategic depth.
“I felt the improvements of Jannik. I said many times, I think a player like him, he always comes back stronger from the losses. He always learn from the losses. Once again, he has shown everybody that he did it. Especially in the serves, putting so much pressure on you. It's really difficult to play against him.”
Injury tests but doesn't derail aggression
The final's opening set pulsed with intensity until Alcaraz called for a medical timeout at 5-4, his hamstring tightening after a desperate lunge for one of Sinner's booming serves. Tape soon stabilized his upper right leg, yet he waved off any real impact, insisting his movement remained sharp and his pursuit of balls undiminished. Fleeting worries about his signature explosive dashes flickered in his mind, but they only sharpened his focus amid the arena's echoing roars.
Trailing into the second set, Alcaraz dialed up the forward charge, stepping inside the baseline to redirect serves with inside-in forehands and slicing underspin to disrupt rhythm. This shift broke Sinner early at 3-2, the Spaniard's net approaches drawing cheers as he invaded space with volley winners. Though Sinner clawed back with relentless returns, exploiting a handful of untimely errors, Alcaraz viewed the adjustments as pure tennis evolution, not injury-driven, a testament to his season's tactical versatility.
He reflected on the plan's soundness, how it forced shorter points and mutual pressure in down-the-line duels that stretched the crowd's anticipation. His 71-9 record for 2025, crowned by titles at Roland Garros and the US Open plus Masters 1000 triumphs in Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Cincinnati, paints a picture of dominance unbroken by this close call. The indoor surface, once a puzzle, now beckons as ground for further refinement against such a precise foe.
“I didn't change the plan because of the injury. I changed it because I felt that I had to do something else. I'm trying to be as aggressive as I can on court every match, but especially I think even more against Jannik. Every time that I can, just trying to go forward. It worked because I was a break up. I was serving well. That game, I think at 3-2. I was up in the game. I made a few mistakes that I didn't have to make. In general, I think it was a great plan that I did today. That's why I'm really happy with the level and the performance that I did today, because I think I did not do too many things wrong, which is great.”
Year-end honors point to Davis ahead
After dominating the round-robin stage 3-0, Alcaraz received the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF trophy on court, a fitting cap to a campaign that led the tour in titles. The final's tightness—from hamstring twinge to second-set surge—mirrored the season's highs, where he entered the match believing he could match Sinner's indoor edge. He expressed no surprise at the closeness, only satisfaction in a performance that promised growth on these quicker surfaces.
“I thought at the beginning of the match that I could beat him, that I could compete against him here,” he said, his voice steady in the quiet aftermath. “It didn't surprise [me] at all that I was really close. It was just about the tennis. I'm just really happy with the performance that I did today. I'm pretty sure that it's going to keep growing, my level on indoor courts.” The Italian's serve dominance and post-loss evolution made the contest a clinic in adaptation, with Alcaraz's fluid runs and tactical net play keeping the scoreline taut.
As the arena's lights faded, his gaze turned to the Davis Cup Finals next week, where team battles could hone his indoor instincts further. This rivalry, alive with surface shifts and mental fortitude, sets the stage for 2026 clashes where Alcaraz's ascending aggression meets Sinner's precision, promising rallies that will echo long beyond Turin's confines. In defeat, he found not doubt, but the spark to elevate their shared pursuit of tennis's summit.
