By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 16, 2025
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty
In this ongoing rivalry race, there is no finite finish line.
Passionate pursuit empowered Jannik the Sinner the past Carlos Alcaraz today to capture back-to-back Turin titles in a thriller.
Sinner saved a set point in the 12th game, came back from a 1-3 break down in the second set and blew away Alcaraz 7-6(4), 7-5 to capture his second consecutive ATP Finals championship without dropping a set. A dedicated sinner, who saved two of three break points, extended his winning streak on the hard court to 31 matches.
“It was a very tough match, obviously,” Sinner said Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj afterwards. “Set point (down) in the first set. It was a very close match. I made a few double faults, but I tried to do it and I’m extremely happy. It’s all part of the process.
“It’s about ending the season with this kind of moment, especially here in Turin, it’s amazing for me. It’s very hard to describe how I feel because I thought last year was great. This year is even more, defending my title, feeling these emotions after the week I’ve had. It’s amazing.”
BACK-ME-BACK SINNER 🗣️@janniksin protects his own #NittoATPFinals title without dropping a set ‼️ pic.twitter.com/jaClBVnVzl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
A young sinner closes this amazing season on a 15-game winning streak and collects a championship record $5 million check, as well as 1,500 ranking points for this Turin title race.
Alcaraz hailed Sinner as a worthy winner and issued a parting challenge: brace for another exciting run in 2026.
“I’m really, really happy with the level I played today – the performance,” said Alcaraz, who will try to topple Sinner and complete his career Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January. “I played against someone who hasn’t lost a game on an indoor court in two years. So it shows how great a player you are with your team doing a great job every time you come back really strong—even stronger—after every loss. You don’t have much, but after every loss you come back stronger.
“Well deserved finale. It’s been a great year for you, time to rest. I hope you’ll be ready for next year, because I will be.”
In the end, the game’s greatest rivalries, who began these ATP Finals practicing together, reunited in an embrace of respect. Pushing each other into dark areas at the game’s biggest stages, they continue to take tennis to new heights by combining to win the last eight consecutive Grand Slam championships and the last two Turin titles.
The game knows the game. 🤝
Another epic showdown between two great rivals#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/rEv1lKbpTn
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
“Carlos, great season. Lots of great, great memories you’ve made for your career,” Sinner told Alcaraz during the trophy presentation. “You really deserve (No. 1). You’re definitely a player I look up to for a lot of motivation. I need that.
“Every training session with a big, big goal. All the fans here are very happy to see you play, you are the most energetic player in the tournament.”
Top-ranked Alcaraz is the undisputed king of the ATP.
The second ranked sinner remains the ruler of the roof.
Sinner recorded his 31st consecutive victory indoors before the home fans roared on and posted his 10th straight victory in Turin.
It is Sinner’s second win over Alcaraz in six meetings this season.
The 24-year-old Italian recently knocked out two-time Wimbledon winner Alcaraz at SW19 and looked in command in a four-set victory – which could very well have been straight sets – leaving the Spaniard in the rare position of looking confused. Alcaraz responded by dethroning the reigning champion Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to capture his second US Open championship and replace Sinner as world No. 1 in September.
Going into today’s final, Sinner had lost seven of the last eight meetings against Alcaraz dating back to the start of 2024 (excluding his Six Kings Slams exhibition wins) and was trailing the Spaniard again at set point at 5-6.
This time, Sinner showed dedicated closing punch in a two-hour, 15-minute triumph that featured several twists — Alcaraz suffered a right hamstring injury, play was stopped for 11 minutes to attend to an ailing fan, Sinner created the key break with a forehand on the frame, came back cool in the second set, and Drill settled down in the second set — cool. on home turf and narrowing Alcaraz’s lead to 10-6 in their historic head-to-head series.
The clash marked the first time the world’s top-ranked players faced off in the ATP Finals title match since 2016 when Andy Murray lit up London’s O2 Arena by defeating Novak Djokovic to secure the No. 1 in the world at the end of the season.
Riding a 30-game winning streak indoors in the final before adoring the home crowd, Sinner won the coin toss and was elected to take.
The lanky Italian was serving in the game when a terrifying scene unfolded when a fan fell ill on the upper deck, halting play. Given that two elderly fans died last week – one was struck inside the Inalpi Arena and another was taken ill in the fan village – it is understood that staff proceeded with caution as the players stood on the net discussing the situation.
After play resumed about 11 1/2 minutes late, Sinner attacked an inside-out forehand, followed it forward and knocked down a forehand volley for a duel. Sinner hit an ace down the tee to keep the game tied to tie in four games.
Trailing 15-30 in the next game, Alcaraz hit an audacious forehand that helped him cruise to 3-2.
2000 ATP Finals champion Gustavo Kuerten earned a standing ovation when the spotlight shone on him during a changeover. A smiling Guga waved to the fans and looked impressed as Alcaraz showed his explosiveness by hitting back-to-back run winners to hold on for 5-4.
Those two hits seemed to take a toll: Alcaraz took a medical leave to deal with an apparent right hamstring strain.
The top-seeded Spaniard’s momentum didn’t look sluggish when he followed up a forehand with a superb drop volley and stretch volley for set point in the 12th game.
An intrepid sinner went back and scorched a second serve to erase the set point. Decked out entirely in plum Nikes, Sinner showed stubborn determination by smashing a diagonal forehand and a service winner wide to quell trouble and record his 46th straight hold of the tournament to force the tiebreaker.
Nerves were understandably high in the shootout when Alcaraz missed a backhand to score the mini break at 2-3. Two points later, Sinner spilled a point where Alcaraz pulled within 3-4.
Bursting out of the blocks, Sinner raced in with a shot, lofted a ball that forced the Spaniard into a quick retreat before the Italian knocked down a shot for 5-3. On his first set point, Sinner hit his serve wide to close out a 79-minute set – and extend his 2025 tiebreaking record to a remarkable 16-3. Sinner won exactly two more points – 42 to 40 – than his first rival in the first set, then prepared for the answer.
Returning to the court with his right thigh wrapped in duct tape, Alcaraz still moved with fluidity. Engaging Sinner in a forehand exchange, Alcaraz hit an errant forehand return to break Sinner for the first time in the tournament.
Bombing some ballistic wings, Alcaraz backed up the break at 30 for 2-0.
Midway through the set, Alcaraz lost some range on his favorite forehand and Sinner used a frame job to come back. Alcaraz took a few steps forward to face break point for the first time in the final.
Tricked by a body serve, Sinner somehow orchestrated a fumbled backhand that landed on the baseline. The Italian then slid a first-stroke winner with his arms raised in apology for coming back into the frame to go back for 3rd.
Despite his first serve abandoning him, Sinner fought through a tight eight-minute game saving a break point when Alcaraz sailed a drive deep. A screeching 25-hit rally – the longest of the match – saw Sinner draw a foul rather than take a page from Carlitos’ playbook by putting his finger in his ear as he urged the raucous Italian fans to make more noise. Riding that wave of support, Sinner fought back with a tough shot for 4-3.
These two 🔥🔥🔥#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/yn7Gx6cxDQ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
Credit Alcaraz, whose leg wrap was slipping lower and lower, for continuing the attack. Sinner fielded a handball downfield holding 6-5.
Serving to try to force a tie, Alcaraz was a point away from hitting at 40-30 when Sinner sent a screeching return down the line. Handcuffed by a low Sinner pass, Alcaraz hit a defiant volley to take the championship point.
On the 15th shot of the ensuing rally, the world No. 1 left a backhand out. Sinner landed on his back and held his arms up, completing Torino’s 10-10 streak without dropping a set.
“Of course the importance is huge, huge,” Sinner said. “The header is important. But at the same time, the rivalry that we have, the friendship that we have off the field, it means a lot to me. Being here, feeling that, it’s definitely big to share these kinds of moments with Carlos. Extremely happy.”
