Turin Triumph: Sinner Clinches the Year-End Final in a Spectacle Against Alcaraz

Turin Final: Sinner Defends His Crown in a Thrilling Showdown

Jannik Sinner defended his Nitto ATP Finals title on Sunday in Turin, riding a rousing home crowd to overcome his long-time rival Carlos Alcaraz with a 7-6, 7-5 victory. The result capped a season where the two stars split virtually every major milestone, highlighting a year dominated by their indoor battles.

On a night lit by Italian passion, the 24-year-old Sinner produced a level of precision and aggression that matched the occasion. His serving and shotmaking were razor-sharp from the first ball, with glimpses of craft that echoed Alcaraz’s own brilliance, including several spectacular lunging lobs that had the Enel Arena crowd gasping in awe.

The biggest moment of the first set came at 5-6, 40-40, when Sinner saved a break point with a second serve clocked at a blistering 117 mph aimed at Alcaraz. The set swung on a knife-edge, ultimately going to a tiebreak that Sinner seized with composure beyond his years.

In just over two hours and 15 minutes, the Italian joined John McEnroe and Boris Becker as the only players to lift multiple year-end finals trophies on home soil—an achievement that underscored his comfort on indoor courts and in front of a partisan audience.

After the trophy presentation, Sinner said through a stadium full of roars: “We’re individual athletes, but this wouldn’t be possible without my team. Ending the year with this trophy after such a packed schedule feels incredible.” He added that the match was “very, very close,” noting that he was delighted with how he managed the pressure and crucial moments.

Despite the defeat, Alcaraz spoke warmly about his performance: “I’m really happy with my level today. He’s someone who hasn’t lost on this surface for two years for a reason. You’ve got to give him credit, and his team, because they work hard.”

With the win, Sinner extended his perfect run at the event this week to 5-0 and improved his indoor win streak to 31 matches, a streak that dates back two years to a loss to Novak Djokovic in Torino. He ends the season with a remarkable 58-6 record and a prize fund of $5,071,000—the largest ever awarded at this event.

Alcaraz closed 2025 with a 71-9 mark and eight titles, including major championships at Roland Garros and the US Open. The two 20-somethings have become the defining rivalry of the era, with Sinner’s Wimbledon and Turin wins signaling that the era’s big clashes will continue to orbit these two stars.

When asked about the year ahead, Sinner noted the extraordinary journey and the sense that the sport’s storytelling is just as important as the trophies. “It’s a privilege to end the year like this, and I’m already thinking about what comes next.”

First-set moments

Under the buzzing arena, both players opened with high-quality aggression. Alcaraz survived a tricky stretch at 2-2, 40/40 with a precise backhand, only for Sinner to answer with a crushing backhand down the line that drew admiration from the Spaniard. After holding serve to force a tiebreak, Sinner’s two spectacular lobs in the clinching moments of the set highlighted his height and skill, turning the pressure into an opening lead.

The second set swung as Alcaraz became the first to break Sinner’s serve this week, and the Italian momentarily stuttered with a couple of errors. Yet he steadied, found rhythm again with his serve, and converted a decisive break late in the set to seal the match and the season’s most prestigious indoor trophy.

As the celebrations swept the arena, Sinner’s legs carried him through a season that has defined his ascent, and the crowd’s roar promised that the 2026 chapter will begin with even louder anticipation.

For the record books, Sinner finishes 2025 with a 58-6 record at the end-of-year finals and a career milestone that places him among tennis royalty who have repeatedly closed out the calendar in style. He leaves Turin with a trophy, a hefty payout, and a season that will be remembered as the springboard for a potential era of dueling greatness with Alcaraz.

Punchlines, because every good ace needs a joke: 1) If Sinner ever serves at a coffee shop, the latte will come with an ace—foam on point, results on point. 2) Scheduling a rematch? Don’t worry, the calendar will bend—if it can bend, it will serve you an indoor finale again next year. 3) Note to self: Djokovic watched this season and thought, “I’ve still got work to do to stop these two from turning tennis into a masterclass in clutch.”