By Richard Pagliaro Sunday, November 16, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
In this ongoing competition, there is no finish line.
Passionate pursuit of motivation Jannik Sinner past Carlos Alcaraz Torino claimed back-to-back titles with a thrilling victory today.
Sinner saved a set point in the 12th game and fought back from 3-1 down in the second set to beat Alcaraz 7-6(4), 7-5 to win his second consecutive ATP Finals title without dropping a set. The determined sinner saved two of three break points to extend his hard-court winning streak to 31 games.
“Obviously, it was a very tough game,” Sinner told Prakash Amritraj of Tennis Channel after. “Set point [down] in the first set. It was a very close game. I made a couple of double faults but I went for it and I’m very happy. It’s all part of the process.
“To end the season with a moment like this, especially in Turin, it’s fantastic for me. It’s hard to describe how I feel because I thought last year was fantastic. Even more so this year, defending champions, to feel this emotion after a week like this. It’s fantastic.”
Back to back sinners🗣️@janniksin defend his #NittoATP Finals Win the championship without losing a set‼ ️ pic.twitter.com/jaClBVnVzl
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
The serial sinner ended a fantastic season with 15 race wins and a record $5 million championship check as well as 1,500 ranking points heading into the title race in Turin.
Finally, the sport’s greatest rivals were reunited in a respectful embrace as they trained together at the start of the ATP Finals. On the sport’s greatest stage, they pushed each other into obscurity, continued to push tennis to new heights and teamed up to win the past eight Grand Slam titles and the last two in Turin.
Game recognition game. 🤝
Another epic encounter between two great rivals#NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/rEv1lKbpTn
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
“An amazing season, Carlos. You have left a lot of great memories for your career,” Sinner told Alcaraz during the trophy presentation ceremony. “You are indeed worthy [No. 1]. You are definitely a player that keeps me motivated. I need this.
“Every practice has a very, very big goal. All the fans here are excited to see you play, you are the most dynamic player on tour.”
Alcaraz, who is ranked number one, is the undisputed king of the ATP.
The second-ranked sinner remains the rooftop ruler.
Sinner was cheered by the home fans for his 31st consecutive victory on indoor hard courts and his 10th consecutive win in Turin.
It was Sinner’s second win over Alcaraz in six games this season.
The 24-year-old Italian recently defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz at SW19 and looked to be in fine form throughout four sets – which were likely to be straight sets – leaving the second-seeded Spaniard in rare confusion. Alcaraz responds to deposing defending champion Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 won his second U.S. Open title and replaced Sinner as the world’s number one in September.
Entering the final match of the day, Sinner had lost seven of his last eight matches with Alcaraz since the start of 2024 (excluding his six Grand Slam exhibition wins) and was once again chasing the Spaniard 5-6.
This time, Sinner delivered a determined game-winner in a victory that lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a few twists and turns — Alcaraz injured his right hamstring, play was paused 11 minutes to attend to an ailing fan, and Sinner sealed a crucial break with a forehand return in the second set — but Sinner kept her cool and steely determination to defend her title at home and cut Alcaraz’s lead to 10-6 for a historic win. Head to Head series.
The clash marks the first time the world’s top two men have faced off in an ATP Finals title match since Andy Murray lit up London’s O2 Arena in 2016, defeating Novak Djokovic to claim the season-ending world No. 1 ranking.
Before the adoring home fans, Sinner, who was riding a 30-game winning streak on indoor hard courts heading into the final, won the coin toss and elected to catch the ball.
The lanky Italian was serving for deuce when a horrific scene unfolded when a fan fell ill on the upper deck and play was stopped. Given the deaths of two elderly fans last week – one injured inside the Inalpi Arena and another who fell ill in the fan village – staff were understandably cautious as the players stood in front of the net to discuss the situation.
When play resumed about 11 and a half minutes later, Sinner fired a fierce inside-out forehand, then moved forward and hit a forehand volley to even the score. Sinner hit an ace on the catwalk to tie the match after four games in a tricky match.
In the next game, Alcaraz, trailing 30-15, hit a bold backhand down the line, helping him tie the score at 3-2.
Gustavo Kuerten, the 2000 ATP Finals champion, received a standing ovation when the spotlight shone on him during a ball change. Guga smiled and waved to the fans, and Alcaraz showed explosive power and hit consecutive forehand winners to chase the score to 5-4.
Those two possessions seemed to take their toll: Alcaraz took a medical timeout with an apparent right hamstring strain.
The top-seeded Spaniard didn’t seem to be slowing down in the 12th game, winning the set point with a brilliant volley and extended volley on his forehand run.
The brave sinner fought back and won the second serve, erasing the set point. Sinner, wearing burgundy Nikes, showed some tenacity as he solved the problem with a diagonal forehand and a service winner to keep the match alive for the 46th time in a row and force a decider.
The nerves were understandably heightened in the early going when Alcaraz missed a backhand to tie the score at 2-3. Two points later, Sinner missed the ball and Alcaraz chased the score to 3-4.
Sinner burst out of the block, caught a lob, and lifted a lob, forcing the Spaniard to speed back and then the Italian hit the ball to make it 5-3. On his first set point, Sinner served wide to end the 79-minute match and improve his 2025 tiebreaker record to 16-3. Sinner won the first set by two points over his archrival – 42 to 40 – and was ready to respond.
Alcaraz’s right thigh was wrapped in tape when he returned to the courtroom, but his movements remained smooth. In a forehand exchange with Sinner, Alcaraz hit an errant forehand pass across the court to break Sinner for the first time in the tournament.
Alcaraz hit a forehand hard and broke serve at 30 minutes, making the score 2-0.
Midway through the set, Alcaraz lost some range on his favored forehand, and Sinner countered with frame work. Facing break point for the first time in the final, Alcaraz used several forehands.
Sinner was fooled by the body serve and somehow nailed a wild forehand return that landed on the baseline. The Italian then hit a forehand lob winner, raised his arms and apologized for the return, making it three draws.
Although Sinner lost his first serve, he fought hard through eight tense minutes to save a break point on Alcaraz’s long serve. During a roaring 25-shot standoff – the longest of the game – Sinner fumbled, then took a page out of Carlitos’ playbook, put his fingers to his ears and exhorted the erupting Italian fans to make more noise. Sinner rode this wave of support and struggled to hold on to the score, making it 4-3.
These two🔥🔥🔥#NittoATP Finals pic.twitter.com/yn7Gx6cxDQ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 16, 2025
Alcaraz’s leg gloves are getting lower and lower thanks to him continuing to attack. Sinner passed the ball over the line with his forehand, chasing the score to 6-5.
Alcaraz served to try to force a tiebreaker, and when Sinner fired a screaming backhand return from the baseline, Alcaraz took a one-point lead in the tiebreaker, 40-30. Alcaraz was stranded by Sinner’s low pass and scored a challenging volley to face the winner’s point.
On the 15th shot of the ensuing match, the world number one’s backhand shot went just wide of the goal. Sinner fell on his back, raised his arms, and perfectly completed Turin’s 10-10 streak without losing a set.
“Of course it means a lot, it means a lot,” Sinner said. “The head-to-head games are important. But at the same time, the competition we have, the friendship we have off the court, that means a lot to me. To be here, to feel that, to share these moments with Carlos is obviously huge. Very happy.”
