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Alcaraz reflects on Sinner following Nitto ATP Finals clash: 'He always comes back stronger'

Carlos Alcaraz was full of praise for his great rival Jannik Sinner following their latest battle on Sunday at the Nitto ATP Finals. Although the Spaniard fell to the Italian in the Turin title match, he was encouraged by his performance and acknowledged the difficulty of facing Sinner indoors.

“I thought at the beginning of the match that I could beat him, that I could compete against him here,” Alcaraz said of Sinner, who has now won his past 31 indoor matches. “It didn’t surprise [me] at all that I was really close. It was just about the tennis. I’m just really happy with the performance that I did today. I’m pretty sure that it’s going to keep growing, my level on indoor courts.

“I felt the improvements of Jannik. I said many times, I think a player like him, he always comes back stronger from the losses. He always learn from the losses. Once again, he has shown everybody that he did it. Especially in the serves, putting so much pressure on you. It’s really difficult to play against him.”

Alcaraz had beaten Sinner in the US Open final in September, but the 24-year-old responded with authority in Turin, lifting the year-end trophy for the second straight season and narrowing his deficit in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series to 6-10.

The final was tight throughout. Alcaraz received a medical timeout for a hamstring issue at 5-4 in the opening set and had his upper right leg taped, but the World No. 1 stressed that the problem didn’t affect his play.

“I felt something in my hamstring after trying to catch one serve,” Alcaraz said. “I could say that it didn’t affect me too much because I could run well, I could go to the balls well. [There were] thoughts about how [it] is going to be if I do crazy things that I’m used to doing, how is it going to be. Those thoughts were in my mind sometimes. But I could play well.”

Alcaraz upped his aggression and moved forward more frequently in the second set and gained a break advantage before Sinner pegged the 22-year-old back and then turned the tide again to seal victory.

“I didn’t change the plan because of the injury. I changed it because I felt that I had to do something else,” Alcaraz said on his tactical tweaks. “I’m trying to be as aggressive as I can on court every match, but especially I think even more against Jannik. Every time that I can, just trying to go forward.

“It worked because I was a break up. I was serving well. That game, I think at 3-2. I was up in the game. I made a few mistakes that I didn’t have to make. In general, I think it was a great plan that I did today. That’s why I’m really happy with the level and the performance that I did today, because I think I did not do too many things wrong, which is great.”

After going 3-0 in the round-robin stage, Alcaraz received the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF trophy on court in the Inalpi Arena. The 22-year-old is now 71-9 on the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, and has claimed a Tour-leading eight titles in 2025, including majors at Roland Garros and the US Open and ATP Masters 1000 crowns in Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Cincinnati. The Spaniard is set to conclude his season next week at the Davis Cup Finals.

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Sinner: ‘I’m a better player than last year’

Here’s a scary thought for Jannik Sinner’s opponents heading into next season…

The Italian claims that he is a better player at the end of 2025 than he was at the end of 2024, when he earned ATP Year-End No. 1 honours presented by PIF.

Sinner was the undefeated champion at the Nitto ATP Finals the past year, but after defeating current No. 1 and great rival Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(4), 7-5 in Sunday’s title match in Turin, Sinner says that he has taken his game to a new level.

“Honestly, I don’t want to compare [years]. It’s an amazing season,” Sinner said. “Last year has been an amazing season. This year making four Grand Slam finals, coming here, winning here, having this big streak in end of the year, it’s amazing.

“But mostly I feel I am a better player than last year, I think this is the most important. It’s all part of the process. I always say and believe that if you keep working and trying to be a better player, the results, they’re going to come. This year it was like this.

“Many, many wins, and not many losses. All the losses I had, I tried to see the positive thing and trying to evolve me as a player. I feel like or I felt like this happened in a very good way. I’m extremely happy with the season.”

Despite missing three months of the season after winning the Australian Open in January, Sinner claimed six titles and earned a 58-6 match record according to Infosys ATP Stats. He has 24 career titles, the same number as Alcaraz.

The 24-year-old capped his impressive year with a second consecutive Nitto ATP Finals title without dropping a set, and by extending his unbeaten indoor record to 31 matches.

“Amazing feelings finishing the season here in Turin in front of the home crowd. It’s the last match of the season. It’s an amazing feeling. Very emotional seeing my team there, the whole box. I’m really, really happy,” he said.

Sinner won just two of six meetings with Alcaraz in 2025, with his victory in Turin narrowing the deficit in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series to 6-10. Asked if he could have a deep friendship with his greatest rival, Sinner had this to say…

“I feel like we had this conversation a bit with Darren,” Sinner said. “He used to play back in the day. Players, they used to go dinner, having dinner together, because the teams were not as big. It was maybe player plus one. You tend to be a bit more together. You open up yourself. You tell stories in the locker room.

“I still feel it’s a bit like this. You have your more favourite not players but friends in the locker room. You talk a bit in different ways.

“Of course, I believe that Carlos has great friends and I have great friends, too. You tend to go a bit more in the national team because it’s normal. You spend more time with Italians.

“I do have also other players I feel very close to: Jack Draper, Reilly Opelka, these kind of friendships. I feel they’re honest and you can get along very well.

“But with Carlos is also a bit different because of on-court reasons. We have a very good relationship, rivalry. I feel like we can talk about everything still. I think it’s great. We are good friends off the court. We do respect us in a very healthy way. Also the teams, my team, get along very well with them. I think it’s a good harmony.”

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Sinner lands ATP Finals title as Alcaraz rivalry delivers again

Jannik Sinner signs off his 2025 season in style by overcoming world number one Carlos Alcaraz in two tight sets to defend his ATP Finals crown in Turin.

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Sinner beats Alcaraz for Nitto ATP Finals crown, Big Titles battle heating up

Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the championship match of the Nitto ATP Finals on Sunday to move closer to his great rival in their Big Titles battle.

The Italian ended his season on a high note by toppling the ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF at Inalpi Arena for his second consecutive triumph at the season finale. It is Sinner’s 11th Big Title — a combination of Grand Slam championships, trophies at the Nitto ATP Finals and ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, and Olympic singles gold medals.

Sinner now trails Alcaraz by just three Big titles. Together, they claimed all four major trophies and the Nitto ATP Finals crown this season.

The 24-year-old became just the third player to win multiple Nitto ATP Finals titles on home soil. American John McEnroe claimed glory at the event three times in New York and German Boris Becker did so twice in Frankfurt.

Big Titles Won: Alcaraz & Sinner

Sinner is the ninth man to triumph at the year-end championships in consecutive years. This century, only Lleyton Hewitt (2001-02), Roger Federer (2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11) and Novak Djokovic (2012-15, 2022-23) have also accomplished the feat.

The Nitto ATP Finals is a tournament where Sinner has narrowed the gap to Alcaraz. He has seized the trophy twice in four appearances, while Alcaraz is still pursuing his first title at the prestigious event.

Sinner has won a Big Title for every 5.8 tournaments he has played in his career, passing Andre Agassi’s rate of emerging victorious once for every 6.1 events. Only Djokovic (3.3), Rafael Nadal (3.5), Alcaraz (3.9), Roger Federer (4.4) and Pete Sampras (4.9) have won the tournaments at a higher rate.

The Nitto ATP Finals champion closed his season by claiming the final two Big Titles of 2025, at the Rolex Paris Masters and in Turin. Sinner also won Big Titles this year at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

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It all adds up for Sinner at the Nitto ATP Finals, Italian defeats Alcaraz for title

Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Nitto ATP Finals title on Sunday in Turin, where he used the backing of a raucous Italian crowd to overcome his great rival Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(4), 7-5.

World No. 1 Alcaraz and World No. 2 Sinner have dominated the 2025 season, winning 14 titles between them, including all four majors. A season of twin supremacy deserved nothing less than a final act on the sport’s most electric indoor stage.

Under the lights, in a crackling atmosphere, Sinner delivered red-line tennis from first ball to last. The 24-year-old unloaded from the baseline with fierce pace and accuracy, mixing in flashes of Alcaraz-like artistry, including several dazzling lobs. His biggest test came at 5-6, 40/A in the first set, when he erased a set point with an ice-cold 117mph second serve. With his two-hour, 15-minute victory, the Italian joined John McEnroe and Boris Becker as the only men to lift multiple Nitto ATP Finals trophies on home soil.

“We are individual athletes but without my team, this is not possible. Celebrating this trophy at the end of the year after such an intense last couple of months, there is no better ending,” said Sinner, who hugged his team courtside following victory. “It was a very, very close match. I saved a set point in the first set and I am extremely happy with how I handled the situation and it means the world to me.”

Sinner rallied from a break down in the second set and absorbed Alcaraz’s trademark variety with poise, extending his extraordinary indoor winning streak to 31 matches. His last indoor defeat came two years ago against Novak Djokovic in the final in Turin. Since then, he has swept indoor titles in Rotterdam, Turin (twice), Vienna and Paris and played a central role in Italy’s two Davis Cup triumphs.

Now 10-0 across his past two appearances at the prestigious year-end event, including a perfect 5-0 run this week, Sinner departs Turin with a record $5,071,000 champion’s payout, the largest in tournament history. He did not lose a set all week and has the best Nitto ATP Finals win percentage in history at 88.2 per cent, surpassing Ilie Nastase.

Although Alcaraz sealed ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours on Thursday after a flawless 3-0 round-robin campaign, and claimed their US Open final showdown in September, Sinner will head into the off-season buoyed by a resounding response on home turf.

“I am really happy with the level I played today,” Alcaraz said during the trophy ceremony. “He is someone who has not lost a match on an indoor court for two years now, so that means how great a player you are. Putting in great work with your team every time. You come back even stronger after every loss, you don’t have many. A well-deserved final.”

The Italian still trails 6-10 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, but his wins at Wimbledon and now in Turin serve as a clear message that the defining battles of this era are being fought by these two.

“It was tough today,” Sinner added. “Playing against Carlos, you have to play at your best. I was serving very well at times but he is one of the best returners in the game. Obviously Novak is in there. But I am very happy. It was a tough match but it means a lot to me ending the season like this. It is amazing.”

In front of an electric Inalpi Arena crowd, both players came out swinging in a high-quality opening. Alcaraz escaped trouble at 2-2, 40/40 with a backhand laser down the line that clipped the paint, only for Sinner to answer in the following game by whipping a backhand winner off his shins, a shot that drew an approving nod from Alcaraz and sent the crowd into a thunderous chorus of ‘Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, Sinner, Sinner’.

After holding for 5-4 in the first set, Alcaraz received a medical timeout for an upper right leg issue but he did not seem overly hampered by the issue despite his leg being taped. The Spaniard moved to set point when he hit a deft forehand drop shot followed by a punched volley winner, but Sinner survived with a huge second serve into the body of Alcaraz. He then hit a 105mph forehand winner and a big serve out wide to hold and force a tie-break. Sinner hit two stunning lobs in the breaker to lift the roof of the Inalpi Arena, before he converted on his first set point to lead.

However, the atmosphere inside the stadium quickly changed at the start of the second set when Alcaraz became the first player this week to break Sinner’s serve. The Italian hit two double faults in the game to gift Alcaraz a foothold. Yet Sinner enjoyed a slice of luck to respond. He framed a return on break point that dropped in and followed it up with a perfect dropshot to level at 3-3. Sinner then upped his aggression once again in the closing stages of the set, landed more first serves and earned one final break of serve to record a memorable win.

Sinner ended the season holding a 58-6 record, lifting trophies at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Nitto ATP Finals, Paris, Beijing and Vienna. Alcaraz went 71-9 in 2025, winning a tour-leading eight crowns, including majors at Roland Garros and the US Open.

Did You Know?
The 24-year-old is the ninth man to triumph at the year-end championships in consecutive years. This century, only Lleyton Hewitt (2001-02), Roger Federer (2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11) and Djokovic (2012-15, 2022-23) have also accomplished the feat.

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How sustainability & social projects underpinned the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals

The Nitto ATP Finals is about more than just the on-court action.

As well as providing a stage on which the ATP Tour’s finest can strut their stuff and battle for one of tennis’ most prestigious trophies, the season-ending event in Turin also represents a chance for the sport to make an impact away from the court.

At the 2025 edition of the tournament, title partner Nitto has once again participated in a number of activities to help bring positive change to Turin and its people. The activations initiated by Nitto included the continuation of the Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project, the ninth year of the Nitto Mascot Programme and a series of sustainability activations in the Nitto Fan Village booth.

The Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project is a comprehensive initiative aimed at minimising the environmental impact of the tournament. Funded by proceeds from donations from Nitto and a charity auction, the project supports the greening of Turin by planting trees in a park near the venue and greening bus stop roofs.

The centrepiece of the Torino Green Project in 2025 was ‘The Art Wall’, a successor to the plant-covered ‘Green Wall’, which was installed at Inalpi Arena for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals. The Art Wall, which is decorated with CO2-absorbing Airlite paint, has been installed at the Leone Sinigaglia Primary School in Turin and aims to encourage people to engage directly with the theme of sustainability.

_{^{CO2-absorbing Airlite paint has been used on The Art Wall. Photo Credit: FITP}}

<sub><sup><img alt=”Eno Polo” style=”width: 100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/16/17/23/polo-art-wall-turin-2025.jpg” />

ATP Tour CEO Eno Polo (second from left) was among those to visit The Art Wall this week. Photo: FITP</sup></sub>

The Nitto Mascot Programme has once again provided memories of a lifetime to children from U.G.I. ODV, a Turin-based volunteer organisation that supports children who are battling cancer and their families, doctors, nurses and volunteers. Thanks to the collaboration between Nitto and U.G.I. ODV, a child who is either struggling with an illness or has a family member who is dealing with one has accompanied each player onto court for every singles match at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals.

Over in the Nitto ATP Finals Fan Village, the Nitto booth has provided interactive entertainment, all centred around the theme of sustainability, for visitors to Inalpi Arena. The activities on offer included the interactive ‘Butterfly Wall’ and the BATAK Game, which is framed as simulating the collection of sustainability actions for the planet. Many fans also took the opportunity to visit the Nitto booth to pose for a photo with the Nitto ATP Finals trophy.

The Nitto Group places ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) at the core of its management, striving to balance solving social issues with creating economic value. In line with this management policy, Nitto contributes to the achievement of a better society by supporting a bright future for children through its Nitto ATP Finals partnership activities.

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Patten's partners make it dream week for him at ATP Finals

Great Britain’s Henry Patten completes a life-changing visit to Turin by becoming an ATP Finals champion for the first time – a week after proposing to his girlfriend in the city.

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Heliovaara/Patten capture maiden Nitto ATP Finals crown

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten captured their first Nitto ATP Finals crown as a team on Sunday when they defeated Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski 7-5, 6-3 to snap the remarkable winning streak of two-time champion Salisbury.

After dispatching Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori to reach the title match for the first time, Heliovaara and Patten were once again assured throughout the final. The Finn-British team lost to Salisbury and Skupski in the round-robin stage but delivered a commanding performance to improve to 3-2 in the teams’ Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

<img alt=”Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten win the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals doubles crown.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/11/16/17/02/heliovaara-patten-trophy-shot-nitto-atp-finals-2025.jpg” />
^{Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten pose with the trophy in Turin. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour}

The second seeds produced a number of stunning passing shots and were rock-solid on serve, not facing a break point to triumph after 80 minutes. It is the eighth time in the tournament’s history that the team that lost to its final opponent in the round-robin stage earned revenge to triumph in the championship match.

“It is hard to describe,” Heliovaara said. “The whole week I have looked at the list of winners, with huge winners and I thought, if there was ever going to be my name on that, I am going to be so proud. To be there next to Henry is unreal.”

Heliovaara and Patten end the season holding a 50-20 record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The Finn-British team captured the trophy at the Australian Open and also won crowns in Paris and Beijing.

After triumphing in the Inalpi Arena, Heliovaara dropped his racquet and let out a roar, while Patten raised his fist aloft. Patten is a double winner this week, having got engaged to longtime partner Ellie Stone in Turin.

“The tennis is pretty good but the engagement was something special,” Patten said. “It has been a complete dream for me. Ellie has been here supporting me all week. I am a very happy guy right now. I feel unbelievably lucky to have a partner like her and a partner like Harri.”

Salisbury had won his past 14 matches at the Nitto ATP Finals, clinching the title in 2022 and 2023 with Rajeev Ram before he failed to qualify in 2024. Skupski was competing in his first final at the year-end event.

The Brits also lost title matches at Roland Garros and the US Open in 2025. They end their partnership with a 46-22 record on the season.

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Hewett loses Masters final to world number one Oda

Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett loses 6-1 6-1 to Japan’s world number one Tokito Oda in the men’s singles final of the Wheelchair Masters in Huzhou, China.

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Where does Sinner's imperious indoor performance rank in history?

Jannik Sinner is turning into an indoor titan.

The Italian, who will play Carlos Alcaraz for the Nitto ATP Finals title Sunday, has become dominant with a roof over his head. The second seed’s semi-final against Alex de Minaur was his 30th in a row indoors and he shows no sign of slowing down.

Sinner’s winning streak is already the sixth longest in the Open Era (carpet not included) and dates back to the championship match in Turin two years ago, when he fell to Novak Djokovic. Only John McEnroe, Djokovic, Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl have won more consecutive indoor hard-court matches, with Federer accomplishing the feat twice.

McEnroe owns the longest streak in the Open Era, having emerged victorious in 47 straight indoor hard-court matches from 1978 through 1987. Nobody else has won more than 35 in a row.

Longest Indoor Hard-Court Winning Streaks in Open Era

What is most impressive about Sinner’s streak is not just that he has won, but how convincingly he has done so. The Italian has needed a deciding set in just three of the 30 triumphs he has earned during this streak. In his 27 straight-sets wins, Sinner has needed just six tie-breaks.

At last year’s Nitto ATP Finals, Sinner did not drop more than four games in a set, becoming the first player to win the season finale without losing a set since Lendl in 1986. He has not lost a set or serve through four matches this year in Turin, either.

Since the ATP began tracking service statistics in 1991, Novak Djokovic is the only other player who has made the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals without losing a service game (2018). Sinner has an idea of why he is successful in such conditions.

“I feel like when someone hits fast, it’s very difficult to change the pace of the ball. So this for sure helps me a lot playing indoors,” Sinner said. “[At] the same time I also try to change the pace because it is essential and it is important, especially with the difference of the players you play against.

“But yeah, you don’t have the wind, you don’t have the sun. You always have the same feeling on the court. It also helps you to feel more and more comfortable, at least from my side.”

Sinner’s indoor performance ranks highly not just among his peers, but among the all-time greats. The San Candido native is 90-21 indoors, giving him the fourth-best winning percentage in the Open Era according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Only McEnroe (85.3%), Lendl (83%) and Jimmy Connors (81.6%) have won at a higher rate. He passed Roger Federer (81%) and Bjorn Borg (80.6%) during the Nitto ATP Finals.

No other active player, including Djokovic (80.2%), has won a better percentage of indoor matches. Sinner can continue his imperious indoor play this week but extending his winning streak to 31 and successfully defending his Nitto ATP Finals trophy.

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published after two matches at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals. It was edited to update statistics leading into the final.

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