‘Sincaraz’ Set for Final Showdown in Turin: Alcaraz and Sinner Prepare for the Defining Chapter of 2025

The race for world number one reaches its thrilling climax at the ATP Finals

The tennis season has saved its most compelling story for last. After months of dominance, drama, and dazzling shot-making, the 2025 ATP Tour comes down to two men, two rivals, and one final battleground. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner—known together by fans as ‘Sincaraz’—are ready to settle the score once and for all at the ATP Finals in Turin.

The rivalry has defined the men’s game for the past two years. Between them, they’ve split every Grand Slam title in 2025 and pulled the sport into a new era that feels both fresh and familiar—a duel of youth, power, and personality that has captivated fans worldwide.

Now, with just eight days left in the season, only one question remains: who will finish as year-end world number one?

Alcaraz and Sinner: From Icons to Equals

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner embrace after their practice session at the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin

Alcaraz set the tone with a cheeky Instagram post ahead of the tournament: a picture of him with Sinner during practice, captioned simply with two emojis—a “1️⃣” and a sword. A playful jab, maybe, but one that summed up the moment perfectly. The sword fight for supremacy is about to begin again.

For the first time since their rivalry began, Alcaraz enters the ATP Finals as the man to beat. The 22-year-old Spaniard leads Sinner by 1,050 ranking points and knows that reaching the final in Turin will be enough to lock in the world number one spot for 2025. Win all three group-stage matches, and he’ll make it mathematically impossible for Sinner to catch him.

Sinner, meanwhile, must defend his title from last year and hope that Alcaraz slips up along the way. Anything less, and the crown will change hands.

“Ending as the number one has been an important goal for me since halfway through the year,” Alcaraz said recently. He’s already held the year-end top spot once before, back in 2022, but this time it feels different—more mature, more complete, more earned.

Sinner’s task is a tall one, but the 24-year-old Italian has already proven that he thrives under pressure. His 2025 season has been a rollercoaster—starting with triumph, derailed by controversy, and reborn through resilience.

The Long Road Back for Sinner

That Sinner is even in the conversation at all is remarkable. After defending his Australian Open title in January, he spent three months on the sidelines following a suspension for two failed doping tests—a saga that shook the tennis world and left his career in doubt.

His comeback, though, has been nothing short of inspirational. He returned at Roland Garros and immediately reignited the rivalry, losing a five-set classic to Alcaraz in the French Open final. A month later, he turned the tables at Wimbledon, showing his trademark mental toughness to outlast the Spaniard in another epic encounter.

Then came New York, the final act of their Grand Slam trilogy. Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Alcaraz produced one of the finest performances of his young career to win the US Open and reclaim the world number one ranking.

Four majors, split evenly between two young stars. You couldn’t script it better. And now, fittingly, their battle for supremacy reaches its crescendo in Turin—Sinner’s home turf, with the world watching.

The Permutations: What Each Needs to Finish on Top

The ATP Finals format offers plenty of scenarios, but the math is simple enough.

For Alcaraz:

• Reach the final, and he’s guaranteed to end the year as world number one.

• Win all three group-stage matches, and it’s a lock regardless of what Sinner does.

For Sinner:

• He must win the title to stand any chance.

• He also needs Alcaraz to lose a group-stage match and fail to reach the final.

Given the 200 points awarded per group win, 400 for a semi-final victory, and 500 for winning the title, every match in Turin matters. A perfect week earns 1,500 points—something only a handful of players have ever achieved.

The Threats in Alcaraz’s Path

The draw has done Alcaraz few favours. Placed in the Jimmy Connors Group, he faces three opponents with very different but equally dangerous skill sets—none more imposing than Novak Djokovic.

At 38, the seven-time ATP Finals champion might be nearing the twilight of his career, but his aura still lingers. Over three sets, no one on tour remains as tactically sharp or mentally unbreakable. Djokovic has struggled with consistency this year—winning just one title—but if he commits to Turin, he’ll be a genuine threat.

However, his participation remains uncertain. The Serb, now based in Athens, is finishing his season at an ATP 250 event in Greece—a tournament run by his younger brother Djordje. He’s said he won’t decide about Turin until that’s over.

Should he play, Djokovic’s experience could make him the ultimate disruptor.

Joining them are Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur—two players who have quietly built stellar seasons of their own. Fritz, last year’s runner-up, has become one of the most consistent performers on tour, winning titles on grass and hard courts alike. De Minaur, meanwhile, continues to punch above his weight, reaching deep into tournaments with sheer athleticism and grit.

It’s a balanced group, but Alcaraz remains the favourite—especially on the fast indoor courts where his all-court game and fearless aggression shine brightest.

Sinner’s Tough Draw and the Italian Wildcard

On the other side, Sinner’s Björn Borg Group is equally intriguing—and potentially more complicated.

Germany’s Alexander Zverev, a two-time ATP Finals champion, looms as the main obstacle. The 28-year-old has had a steady if unspectacular year, winning in Munich and maintaining a 54-23 record, but his indoor pedigree makes him dangerous in Turin’s conditions.

Then there’s Ben Shelton, the explosive 23-year-old American who has turned heads with his booming serve and fearless shot selection. Making his ATP Finals debut, Shelton could be the dark horse who throws the group wide open.

The final place remains up for grabs between Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Italy’s own Lorenzo Musetti.

Auger-Aliassime surged back into form late in the season, reaching the Paris Masters final to sneak into contention. He’s already in Turin, waiting to see if Djokovic’s withdrawal opens the door for him—or if Musetti can take matters into his own hands.

If Musetti wins the Athens title this weekend, he’ll claim the eighth and final spot and make his ATP Finals debut. For the home fans, that would make the event even more special—two Italians flying the flag on home soil.

The Final Chapter Awaits

It’s rare in sport for a rivalry to feel this balanced, this pure, and this unpredictable. Alcaraz and Sinner are two young men at the peak of their powers—friends off the court, warriors on it.

Both play with a freedom and flair that hark back to tennis’s golden eras, yet they’ve given the modern game something new: intensity without animosity, competition without controversy.

As the ATP Finals get underway in Turin, one thing is certain—‘Sincaraz’ will deliver one last thrill before the curtain falls on 2025.

Will it be Alcaraz, sealing his dominance with another title and another crown? Or will Sinner, roared on by a home crowd desperate for glory, find one last surge to reclaim his throne?

Either way, the final chapter of this extraordinary tennis year promises to be one for the ages.