They have captivated the tennis world throughout 2025, becoming the first pair of players to contest three men’s singles Grand Slam finals in Open Era history, and the de facto No.1 and No.2 (take your pick on who’s on top at any given time) in the men’s game.
So it is only fitting that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will wrap a final bow around the 2025 ATP season on Sunday in Turin as they contest the Nitto ATP Finals title match.
Alcaraz passed his test swimmingly on Saturday as he took down Felix Auger-Aliassime to join Sinner in the final, 6-2, 6-4. It was another devastating display from the 22-year-old Spaniard, who showed up in menacing form and never really let the high-flying Canadian enter the fray.
“I felt like I could do everything on court,” Alcaraz said on his first-set display. “It didn’t matter if I did a forehand down the line, drop shot or backhand down the line, I felt that everything was going to be in. I think that confidence helped through the whole match, pushing him to the limit, pushing him to do something different and I am happy that I continued playing such great tennis.”
Alcaraz used that first get to get to a tidy scoreline of 25 winners against 10 unforced errors, including 15 off the forehand side, to just four for Auger-Aliassime (in total Alcaraz was +11 forehand winners to errors, while Auger-Aliassime was -8).
Alcaraz broke for 3-1 and again for 6-2 as he raced out of the gates with some of the best tennis he has ever produced on an indoor hard court. Auger-Aliassime, who leads the ATP with 17 indoor wins this year, was simply no match for the Spaniard.
Alcaraz saved the only break point he faced and converted three of eight opportunities to win a relatively one-sided contest in 22-minutes, and will now set his sight on his 16th career meeting with defending ATP Finals champion Sinner on Sunday.
“I am just happy to see myself in these finals, to be honest,” Alcaraz said. “That means the level we are doing, we’re playing during the whole season, playing great tennis consistently.
“Jannik and I [are] playing finals. I think every time we face each other, we raise our level, which I think for the tennis, for the tour, for the crowd is great match to watch. I think that means we are putting a really good work on it.”
The pair have not played since Alcaraz defeated Sinner in four sets at this year’s US Open final, which elevated the Spaniard to No.1. Since then the pair have flip-flopped at the top of the rankings, with Alcaraz locking up the year-end No.1 ranking earlier this week.
But there will be much at stake between the two rivals. Sinner carries a 30-match indoor hard court winning streak, and will bid to defend the title in Turin. If he is successful he will become the youngest player to successfully defend the title since Roger Federer in 2003 and 2004.
Alcaraz is playing in his first title match at the ATP Finals – he holds the 10-5 lifetime edge over Sinner, including 7-2 on hard courts.
Alcaraz has now reached 10 finals in his last 11 events, and will bid for his 25th career title. Sinner will bid for his 24th.
Alcaraz is bidding to join Manuel Orantes and Alex Corretja as one of three Spanish men to have won the ATP’s season-ending champion. It’s a tournament that Rafael Nadal never managed to win (he played the final in 2010 and 2012, losing to Federer and Djokovic), but Alcaraz has prioritized success in Turin this year. His desire to reach a higher level of success on a difficult surface says everything about his long-term commitment to leaving none of his vast potential untapped.
“It would mean a lot to me because the last part of the year I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been really focused just to be in a good shape to play this tournament,” Alcaraz said.
Obviously we have really important tournaments on indoor court. For me, I was really focused especially in this one. Coming here, playing a good tennis, and be able to lift the trophy at the end of the week would mean a lot to me, even more winning Jannik, and being in the same list as Orantes and Corretja, to be the Spaniard to win this tournament. Putting my name next to them would be great.
