Djokovic Nets Federer's Record and Alcaraz Admits Sinner's Edge: Tennis's Turino Twist
19 October 2025
Djokovic Equals Federer with 18 Final Appearances
Novak Djokovic has matched Roger Federer’s record of 18 appearances in the year‑end Nitto ATP Finals, cementing his status among the sport’s most enduring champions. His qualification for the 2025 edition in Turin came as Basel and Vienna (both 500‑point events) released their draws, keeping Djokovic alongside Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner among the first names booked into the singles draw.
Earlier this season, the Serb notched a milestone by winning his 100th title in Geneva, joining a small club of players who have reached triple‑digit trophies, behind only Jimmy Connors and Federer in the Open Era. His campaign has also seen him advance to the semifinals at all four majors, a feat he has achieved seven times, and he reached the final of the Miami Masters and the semifinal in Shanghai, underscoring a remarkable consistency at the sport’s highest levels.
This year marks Djokovic’s eighth consecutive qualification to the year‑end finals. He first competed in 2007 at the age of 20 and has missed only 2017 due to injury. He has captured seven finals titles at the year‑end event, with two of the editions held in Turin, highlighting a historic bond between the player and the Italian host city.
The Nitto Finals are scheduled to be staged at Turin’s arena from November 9 to 16, a week that promises high‑drama as Djokovic hunts more personal milestones and the next generation presses forward.
Alcaraz Acknowledges Sinner’s Edge; Djokovic’s Riyadh Setback
In the Riyadh chapter of the Six Kings Slam, Djokovic withdrew from the third‑place playoff after losing the opening set in a tiebreak to Taylor Fritz (7‑6 in the breaker). Fritz mounted a comeback to claim the win, marking a rare defeat of Djokovic after an extended stretch of competitiveness and endurance on the court. Djokovic apologized for the shortfall, citing the prolonged first set and fatigue caused by the humid conditions.
In the same event, Carlos Alcaraz admitted that Yannick Sinner’s performance had been superior in the final, with Sinner taking the match 6‑2, 6‑4 and denying Alcaraz any break points. Speaking to Marca, Alcaraz described Sinner’s level as extraordinarily high and noted that translating chances into points proved difficult this time around.
Alcaraz commented that facing Sinner is challenging because the Italian presses hard on serve and return, pushing opponents into more demanding rallies and forcing them to elevate their game just to stay in contention.
Next Challenges and the Road to More Records
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will finish his season across three indoor events on the same hard‑court indoor surfaces used in Riyadh. He stressed the importance of maintaining the No. 1 ranking and continuing his pursuit of Grand Slam glory, even admitting that indoor courts aren’t his natural playground and that beating Sinner indoors remains a particularly tough proposition given the Italian’s proficiency in closed‑court conditions.
Alcaraz already boasts a string of milestones: he became the youngest world No. 1 in September 2022, just after clinching his first major crown at the US Open. By that age, he had already secured six major titles, a record not matched by Djokovic, Nadal, or Federer at the same age. When asked about his goals, Alcaraz cited the ambition to surpass Nadal’s Roland Garros record and to collect as many Grand Slam titles as possible, while praising Djokovic’s record for most weeks at No. 1 — over 400 weeks — describing it as “crazy” and a benchmark he hopes to approach.
Alcaraz stressed that the coming period demands a blend of focus and resilience, as chasing multiple records requires sustaining peak performance across late‑season events and into the opening rounds of next season.
Two punchlines to close: 1) If accuracy were a tennis shot, Djokovic would be serving with a sniper’s precision—except the target is another trophy. 2) In the world of indoor tennis, Sinner’s game is so tight you’d swear the ball came with a warranty and a return policy.
