Sinner retains the ATP Finals title after defeating Alcaraz
In the decisive match to the season-ending championships, Italy’s Jannik Sinner defeated Spanish world number one and opponent Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(4) 7-5, thrilling the Turin fans and retaining his ATP Finals title.
With the support of a boisterous Italian audience, Sinner collapsed to the ground after smashing his opponent’s serve in the decisive match before rushing to join his team in celebration while ‘Ole, Ole, Ole, Sinner, Sinner’ cries echoed around the Inalpi Arena.
“Finishing in front of the Italian public was a fantastic thing, maybe even better than last year, thank you very much for the support, it was incredible,” Sinner added.
“Thanks to all of you, it felt like being on a football pitch.”
It appeared inevitable that the two players would face off for the title in a season that was characterized and dominated by their rivalry. Both players complied by going undefeated in the competition to set up a final dance in Turin.
PRESSURED SINNER
After the Spaniard failed to hold while serving to stay in the match, Sinner held firm and brought the fans to its feet with a tiebreak victory. Alcaraz had forced the sole break point in the first set.
Since the Spaniard won his three round-robin matches this week, Sinner was unable to finish the year as the world’s number one, but the Italian won the final act of 2025 to cap off the best season of his career.
While Alcaraz has had an incredible year, winning Roland Garros and the U.S. Open and defeating Sinner in both finals, the 24-year-old advanced to the final of all four Grand Slams, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz smiled and remarked, “Hopefully you’re going to be ready for next year.”
“Because I will be ready.”
Sinner was tested by Alcaraz in Turin, but the Italian maintained composure despite not playing at his best and having trouble with his service game, which had let him to outplay opponents all week.
Sinner won his opening service game to love, and Alcaraz returned the favor. At 2-2, the Spaniard forced a deuce before a 10-minute delay was caused by a medical issue in the spectators. The two conversed over the net, revealing the tension both on the court and in the arena.
Sinner moved to the net to smash a winning volley and hit an ace to hold when play restarted. Alcaraz forced the match’s first break point at 6-5 after needing a medical time-out during the break with a 5-4 lead.
Sinner persevered, and after giving up a mini-break in the tiebreak, the champion got the audience to cheer by smashing a lob after Alcaraz had come back to return a drop ball. He then caught the Spaniard with a lob of his own to win the opening set.
When Sinner produced two double faults in the first game of the second set, the Spaniard broke the Italian, giving him the opportunity to go the full distance. But when it mattered, Sinner rallied to tie the set at 3-3.
After losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Turin final—the last time the Italian dropped a set in the competition—Sinner entered the final riding a scorching 30-match winning streak on indoor hardcourts.
Sinner had lost four of his previous five games with Alcaraz this year, all of which had taken place in finals, but he was unstoppable in Turin, where his victory brought him a record $5.07 million in prize money. Sinner was making his third consecutive appearance in the season-ending final.
