Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner successfully defended his ATP Finals championship on Sunday, defeating world number one Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping contest that showcased the intense rivalry between tennis's top two players.
Season-Ending Triumph in Turin
The second-ranked Sinner claimed victory over Alcaraz with a 7-6 (4), 7-5 scoreline in their sixth meeting of the 2025 season. The match concluded on Sunday, which corresponded to Monday, November 17, 2025, in Philippine time, marking the official end of the ATP tour season.
Playing before an enthusiastic home crowd in Turin, Sinner demonstrated remarkable composure by saving a set point at 5-6 in the opening set with what Alcaraz later described as a surprising 185-190 kph second serve. The Italian then dominated the tiebreak with aggressive court coverage that kept his Spanish opponent under constant pressure.
Injury Concerns and Competitive Spirit
Throughout the match, concerns emerged about Alcaraz's physical condition as he received treatment on his right thigh twice and had it wrapped after the first set. Despite the visible strapping, Alcaraz insisted the injury "didn't affect me too much" during post-match comments.
The victory provided Sinner with his second win over Alcaraz in 2025, adding to his earlier triumph at Wimbledon. This result caps a remarkable season where the two young stars completely dominated men's tennis, splitting all four Grand Slam titles between them.
Dominant Season and Growing Rivalry
The 2025 season saw Sinner capture the Australian Open and Wimbledon championships, while Alcaraz secured the French Open and U.S. Open titles. Their competitive encounters extended beyond majors, with clashes in the Italian Open and Cincinnati finals, both won by Alcaraz.
Despite Sinner's victory in the ATP Finals, Alcaraz finished the year as the world number one player and maintains a 10-6 lead in their career head-to-head rivalry. The pair have faced each other in the last three consecutive Grand Slam finals, establishing what many consider the premier rivalry in contemporary men's tennis.
During the award ceremony, both players acknowledged their competitive respect. "I hope you are going to be ready for next year because I will be ready to hopefully play more finals against you," Alcaraz told Sinner. The Italian responded in kind, expressing hope for "great, great battles ahead of us."
The match's crucial moment came in the second set when Sinner, after leveling at 3-3, surged late by breaking serve again and sealing victory when Alcaraz sent a backhand wide. The emotional Italian fell to his back in relief after the final point, later describing the moment as "a huge emotion."
Statistically, Alcaraz recorded more winners (28-25) but also committed more unforced errors. Sinner, who had focused on improving his serve after losing to Alcaraz at the U.S. Open, led 8-5 in aces but hit five double-faults during the match.
This victory extends Sinner's unbeaten run at the season-ending tournament to 10 consecutive matches, all achieved in straight sets, and pushes his indoor hard-court winning streak to an impressive 31 matches.
In the doubles final, the pairing of Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten defeated Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski with a 7-5, 6-3 victory.
