Alcaraz, Sinner set for season-ending showdown as race for No.1 goes down to wire

New Delhi: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have spent most of 2025 locked in a gripping duel for supremacy, trading titles, Grand Slams and the top ranking throughout the season. Now, as the ATP Finals kick off in Turin, their rivalry dubbed as "Sincaraz" by fans is set for its most fitting conclusion of the season for a straight fight for the year-end No.1 crown.

The pair have dominated the men's tennis over the past two years and even trained together on Friday ahead of the tournament, sharing smiles and a light moment on the court. Alcaraz even later summed up the mood with a social media post featuring two emojis- a number one and crossed swords, capturing exactly what's at stake in Italy this week.

Finishing off the season as World No.1 is more than just a statistic; it's a badge of endurance and excellence across a punishing year. For Alcaraz this year he had many great moments. He even dethroned Sinner in September when he clinched the US Open and it will be his second time finishing off on top after first doing so in 2022. Meanwhile, for Sinner, the year was filled with mixed emotions, but defending his year-end crown would be a great story considering he missed three months of the season after serving a doping suspension.

Alcaraz will enter Turin with a 1,050-point cushion over Sinner and on paper, the Spaniard even holds the advantage. His path is straightforward, as for him reaching the final would be enough to secure the year-end No.1, while winning all three group matches would guarantee it regardless of the Italian's results.

Meanwhile, Sinner has no margin of error. The Italian must defend his ATP Finals title to have any chance of keeping the top spot and even then, he will need Alcaraz to get knocked out early, ideally losing a group match and failing to reach the final.

"Ending the season as No.1 has been one of my biggest goals since midyear,” Alcaraz said ahead of the event. "To finish strong, after all the challenges, would mean a lot.”

Their dominance this season makes the finale even more compelling. Between them, they have captured all four Grand Slam titles for the second consecutive year. Their rivalry has become a modern-day duopoly that's beginning to define an era. Sinner defended his Australian Open crown in January and Alcaraz edged him in a five-set French Open classic. Sinner struck back at Wimbledon and Alcaraz returned the favour in New York. Four majors, two players and a rivalry that keeps evolving after Roger Feder and Rafael Nadal era.

Alcaraz finds himself in the Jimmy Connors Group alongside Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic. Though 38 and visibly past his physical peak, the Serbian remains the one player capable of disrupting the Alcaraz-Sinner narrative.

The Serbian has won the ATP Finals a record seven times and still thrives in short-formant matches. However, his participation remains uncertain as he is currently competing in Athens where he recently moved with his family. If he does show up in Turin, his presence alone could tilt the balance of the tournament.

Fritz and de Minaur round out the group as both are dangerous and in excellent form. Fritz, last year’s runner-up, has enjoyed a strong season with 52 wins while de Minaur has evolved into one of the circuit’s most relentless competitors.

Sinner is place in Bjorn Borg Group and could prove trickier. The Italian will face Germany's Alexander Zverev, American powerhouse Ben Shelton and one of two potential qualifiers Felix Auger-Aliassime or local favourite Lorenzo Musetti.

Whatever the outcome, 2025 will be remembered as the year the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry truly came of age. They have split all the four majors among themselves, exchanging the No.1 ranking and even pushed each other to new heights. The Nitto ATP Finals will now offer one final stage for not just to crown a champion but to close a season-long duel that has redefined men's tennis.

As Sinner himself said, "If Carlos plays really well, there’s no chance.” But if there’s one thing this rivalry has proven that it’s nothing between these two ever feels decided until the very last point.