Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are set to accentuate their budding rivalry on the ATP Finals on Sunday, marking the primary time in practically 25 years that the occasion will likely be held with none members of the Big Three.
Top-ranked Sinner and No. 3 Alcaraz every claimed two Grand Slam titles this yr, and a possible showdown between them in Turin could be the proper cap to their outstanding seasons.
After Alcaraz was overtaken by Alexander Zverev within the rankings this week, the Spaniard might be positioned in the identical round-robin group as Sinner.
The draw for the eight-man occasion is scheduled for later Thursday.
After the round-robin stage, the highest two finishers in every group advance to the semifinals.
The different qualifiers are: Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.
The huge title lacking is defending champion Novak Djokovic, who withdrew Tuesday because of an unspecified damage.
It’s the primary time since 2001 that the finals will likely be held with out not less than one member of Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. This season additionally marked the primary since 2002 with out not less than one Grand Slam title for a member of that trio.
Djokovic has gained the ATP Finals a report seven occasions, beating Sinner for the title final yr.
Federer, who introduced his retirement in 2022, gained the occasion six occasions after debuting in 2002. Nadal, who’s retiring after enjoying within the Davis Cup the week after the finals, was the runner-up twice however by no means gained the occasion.
Sinner withdrew from final week’s Paris Masters because of a virus and arrived early in Turin for coaching.
“This is, for me, the main event of the end of the year,” Sinner stated.
As an Italian, Sinner would be the most important focus of consideration in Turin.
This is the primary time Sinner will likely be enjoying at residence because it was introduced earlier than his U.S. Open title that he had examined optimistic in two separate drug checks earlier within the yr.
The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed a choice clearing Sinner of any wrongdoing in September, and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is predicted to make a last ruling on the case early subsequent yr.
Sinner started this yr by profitable the Australian Open, turning into the primary Italian man to win a Grand Slam singles title in practically half a century – since Adriano Panatta claimed the French Open in 1976.
Alcaraz then gained the French Open and Wimbledon titles to boost his profession complete to 4 Grand Slams.
Sinner responded by profitable the U.S. Open.
Alcaraz gained all three official conferences with Sinner this yr and holds a 6-4 benefit of their profession head-to-head rivalry. Last month, Sinner beat Alcaraz within the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
The solely two gamers within the discipline to have gained the finals are Zverev and Medvedev.
Zverev gained in London in 2018 and in Turin in 2021, whereas Medvedev triumphed in 2020, the ultimate yr the occasion was held in London.
Zverev enters in stable type, coming off a title on the Paris Masters.
Fritz is trying so as to add one other huge end result after his maiden Grand Slam last on the U.S. Open. Ruud was a finalist in 2022. De Minaur is making his event debut, whereas Rublev is making his fifth straight look.
If a participant wins all 5 of his matches en path to the trophy, he’ll earn $4.8 million – the most important winner’s prize on the lads’s tour.
That’s considerably greater than what Sinner and Alcaraz earned for his or her victories on the U.S. Open ($3.6 million) and Wimbledon (2.7 million kilos or $3.45 million) this yr.
Source: www.dailysabah.com