Sinner defends ATP Finals crown in gripping Sincaraz finale
Under Turin's bright lights, Jannik Sinner navigated the intensity of a year defined by rivalry, outlasting Carlos Alcaraz to claim his second straight ATP Finals title and even the scales in their epic 2025 battles.
In the charged atmosphere of Turin's Inalpi Arena, Jannik Sinner stepped up to cap a season of relentless duels with Carlos Alcaraz. The second-ranked Italian, playing before his home crowd, edged the world No. 1 Spaniard 7-6 (4), 7-5 in their sixth meeting of 2025, a rivalry that has reshaped men's tennis. This victory marked only Sinner's second over Alcaraz this year, following his Wimbledon triumph, while the Spaniard maintains a 10-6 career edge.
The pair's clashes spanned three Grand Slam finals, with Alcaraz prevailing at the French Open in a fifth-set tiebreaker and the US Open in another marathon, but Sinner exacted revenge on Wimbledon's grass. Off the majors, Alcaraz took the Italian Open final on clay and Cincinnati's hard-court decider, where the Italian retired ill. Each secured two Slams in 2025—Sinner opening with the Australian Open by defeating Alexander Zverev in Melbourne's final, Alcaraz adding the French and US titles to reach six majors against Sinner's four.
"It was an incredible season," Sinner said. "To finish it this way, before my Italian fans, is very special for me."
Pressure forges mental steel
The weight of their year-long showdown pressed on both players, with Alcaraz arriving as year-end No. 1 and chasing his first ATP Finals title among the top eight. Sinner, defending his crown from 2023 when Novak Djokovic denied him in the final, channeled the home support into quiet resolve. Their packed schedule had tested limits, yet the Italian's indoor hard-court affinity—now a 31-match streak—provided a tactical refuge against Alcaraz's explosive variety.
Alcaraz's right thigh demanded attention twice from trainers, wrapped after the first set, subtly altering his movement on the swift surface. Sinner adapted by deepening returns to jam the baseline, mixing crosscourt forehands with occasional down-the-line backhands to disrupt rhythm. This mental fortitude, honed through defeats, turned potential cracks into strengths as the crowd's energy amplified every point.
Serves and saves shift momentum
The opening set tightened at 5-6, where Sinner erased a set point with a thunderous second serve that Alcaraz netted. In the tiebreaker, he sprinted to retrieve a drop shot, lofting it high for an overhead winner that seized control. "I'm extremely happy with how I handled the situation," the champion later reflected, his words capturing the poise that bridged the set's emotional swing.
Alcaraz broke early in the second for a 1-0 edge, his inside-in forehand kissing the line to ignite the arena. Sinner countered swiftly, leveling at 3-3 after a grueling rally where he held his ear to the stands, drawing louder roars. The Italian's one–two patterns—forehand inside-out followed by backhand crosscourt—wore down defenses, setting up the decisive break at 5-5 when a wide backhand from the Spaniard sent him sprawling in victory.
Streaks extend into new horizons
This win stretched Sinner's ATP Finals dominance to 10 straight victories since that 2023 defeat, remarkably without dropping a set, underscoring his unyielding form on these boards. The indoor hard's low bounce suited his flat strikes, contrasting the higher trajectories that favored Alcaraz outdoors. As 2025 closed, their split majors and balanced ledger hinted at a rivalry poised for deeper layers in 2026.
The doubles final offered a clean finish, with Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten toppling Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski 7-5, 6-3, their net approaches thriving on the same quick court. For Sinner, the triumph not only defended his title but reframed the Sincaraz saga as mutual elevation, promising fiercer tests across the tour's diverse stages.
