Jannik Sinner Defeats Carlos Alcaraz to Retain ATP Finals Crown

TURIN: Jannik Sinner retained his ATP Finals title on Sunday by pulling off an impressive 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 victory over old rival Carlos Alcaraz, a win that best summarized a season of extreme highs and lows.

The Italian star illuminated Turin by winning the clash that fans had been anticipating, with the addition of a year-ending prestigious title to an already amazing season, which includes the Australian Open and a historic Wimbledon victory.

A 24-year-old also staged an impressive comeback this year, as he was suspended for three months earlier this year. The World Anti-Doping Agency had confirmed that the Italian had been accidentally exposed to the prohibited drug clostebol last year, and much of his season was also cut short.

It is now Sinner’s 31st consecutive win on indoor hard court, which began after his defeat in the 2023 ATP Finals final at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, where he lost to Novak Djokovic.

He is now just four wins away from matching Djokovic’s mark set between 2012 and 2015, the second-highest streak in the Open era, though still behind John McEnroe’s iconic record of 47.

Since that loss to Djokovic two years ago, Sinner hasn’t conceded a single set at the season finale, and his form this week in northern Italy was nothing short of dominant.

Both Sinner and Alcaraz went into the final in top gear, but the championship match was a battle of tactics and physicality, with neither relenting on serves until a tight tiebreak ended the first set.

Sinner moved ahead with a spectacular lobbed point that gave him a set point and topped it off with a smashing serve that Alcaraz could only stretch.

However, the second set started with a surprisingly shaky start from Sinner, with a pair of double-faults giving Alcaraz an early break for the first time Sinner had lost serve in the entire tournament.

Sinner replied in the sixth game, breaking Alcaraz back and sparking off the Turin crowd again.

When Alcaraz fired a backhand on the championship point and Sinner crashed to the floor and jumped up in the stands, celebrating with his family in roaring noise, this was pure emotion.