TURIN, Italy — The tennis world has witnessed countless battles between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner throughout this year, often with significant championships at stake.
Now, they’re set to clash once more for another major title this Sunday: the ATP Finals.
World No. 1 Alcaraz triumphed over Felix Auger-Aliassime with a score of 6-2, 6-4, while No. 2 Sinner secured a victory against Alex de Minaur, 7-5, 6-2, fueled by the support of his home crowd in Italy. These semifinal results on Saturday have paved the way for yet another showdown between the two athletes who have distinguished themselves as frontrunners in the sport.
“I am anticipating a small number of supporters for myself in the stands,” Alcaraz commented, accompanied by a smile. “It’s undoubtedly going to be challenging. I am genuinely pleased to see Jannik reach another final. We consistently elevate our performance when we compete against each other in a final.”
Alcaraz has already cemented his position as the year-end No. 1 but will be competing in his inaugural final at the prestigious event featuring the top eight players of the year.
Sinner, on the other hand, is gearing up for his third consecutive final in Turin, with the goal of securing his second successive title. The Italian sensation has maintained a flawless record at the ATP Finals since his defeat by Novak Djokovic in the 2023 championship match, winning an impressive 18 consecutive sets.
“These are precisely the types of matches I eagerly anticipate,” Sinner remarked. “It also serves as a valuable opportunity for me to assess my true capabilities, and it’s also fantastic to engage in this kind of competition before the offseason begins. Naturally, I feel confident when playing on an indoor hard court.”
Sinner and Alcaraz have previously faced each other in three Grand Slam finals: Alcaraz emerged victorious in a thrilling fifth-set tiebreaker to claim the French Open title; Sinner avenged that loss by defeating Alcaraz for the Wimbledon trophy; and Alcaraz once again secured the win at the US Open.
“Each encounter presents its own unique dynamics. We observed this in Rome and Paris. Even when playing on the same surface, the conditions can vary,” Sinner explained.
Sinner also captured the Australian Open title, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final, thereby ensuring that both he and Alcaraz each secured two major championships this year.
Overall, this will mark the sixth occasion that Alcaraz and Sinner have faced each other this year. Their previous clashes include the Italian Open final (won by Alcaraz) and the Cincinnati Open final (also won by Alcaraz after Sinner withdrew due to illness).
In their overall career head-to-head record, Alcaraz holds a 10-5 advantage over Sinner.
On Saturday, Alcaraz immediately applied pressure to Auger-Aliassime and, similar to Sinner, improved his record to 4-0 for the week.
Alcaraz outscored Auger-Aliassime in winners, 25-15, and made significantly fewer unforced errors than his Canadian opponent, 20-10. The Spaniard hailed it as his most impressive performance of the tournament thus far.
“I am genuinely pleased with my level of play today,” Alcaraz stated. “I maintained exceptional solidity and aggression throughout the match.”
This marks Alcaraz’s third appearance at the Finals, although he was forced to withdraw from his debut in 2022 due to injury. Last year, he was eliminated during the group stage after suffering defeats against Casper Ruud and Zverev, with his only victory coming against Andrey Rublev.
Auger-Aliassime secured wins against Ben Shelton and Zverev in the group stage after losing to Sinner, and he is poised to conclude the year at a career-high ranking of No. 5, bolstered by a successful indoor season.
Meanwhile, Sinner extended his winning streak against De Minaur to an unblemished 13-0 in their career encounters.
Sinner successfully defended three break points in his opening service game after falling behind 0-40 and ultimately managed to break De Minaur for a 6-5 lead before serving out the set.
The second set was largely uneventful, as Sinner surged ahead with a commanding 4-0 advantage.
“I was satisfied with my serving performance and my ability to respond effectively during critical moments,” Sinner commented.
Sinner has now extended his winning streak on indoor hard courts to an impressive 31 matches, dating back to that 2023 final against Djokovic. He has yet to be broken this week.
Sinner’s first professional victory over De Minaur occurred in 2019 in the final of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Sinner has emerged victorious in 29 of the 31 sets they have contested.
The Associated Press played a role in producing this report.
