TURIN: Italy’s Jannik Sinner closed out a turbulent season in style on Sunday, defeating world number one Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 to retain his ATP Finals crown in front of a raucous Turin crowd. The 24-year-old collapsed to the floor after breaking Alcaraz’s serve in the final game before celebrating with his team amid chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole, Sinner, Sinner.”
The victory adds the prestigious year-ending tournament to Sinner’s remarkable season, which included four Grand Slam finals, an Australian Open title, and a landmark Wimbledon win. He also returned strongly from a three-month ban last year due to accidental contamination with the banned substance clostebol.
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Sinner’s triumph extended his indoor hard-court winning streak to 31 matches, a run stretching back to the 2023 Inalpi Arena final he lost to Novak Djokovic. The win over Alcaraz marked his second victory against the Spaniard this year, highlighting a season dominated by their riveting rivalry.
Alcaraz rued missed opportunities at key moments, particularly his backhand volleys. “Right now I have some points and some shots on my mind… I think that was a really important shot that I didn’t do well today,” he said. The title clash lived up to expectations, with Sinner edging Alcaraz in a tense first-set tiebreak and breaking back in the second to secure victory.
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Reflecting on his season, Sinner said, “I feel to be a better player than last year… if you keep working and trying to be a better player, the results, they’re going to come. This year it was like this.” For Sinner, the victory was not just about the trophy, but also an emotional end to a rollercoaster season.