Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner were the class of the ATP Tour in 2024, and will both be looking to end the year by winning the ATP Finals.
This year’s ATP Finals in Turin will see the eight best players in the world go head-to-head for the final trophy of the season.
Alcaraz and Sinner will be joined by two-time champion Alexander Zverev, 2020 winner Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev at the tournament.
Despite never winning the year-end finals, the pair are heavy favorites to take home the title for the first time after experiencing dominant seasons on the ATP Tour.
Sinner won the Australian Open in January, beating Medvedev to take home the first Grand Slam title of his young career.
The Spaniard then battled back to win the next two Major titles, as Alcaraz won the French Open against Zverev, before defending his Wimbledon title against Novak Djokovic.
The Italian then won the final Grand Slam of the season, as Sinner beat Fritz to win his first US Open title.
The pair have proven that they are a cut above the rest in 2024, but recently revealed to each other which shot they would take from the other if they had the chance.
Ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, Alcaraz and Sinner sat down and were asked a number of questions about each other.
One of those questions, was what shot they would like to take from one another.
“It’s very easy, your drop shots, like this [close] from the net, why not?” said Sinner.
Alcaraz on the other hand had a very different answer: “I will take the backhand, with your backhand it will be a little bit easier every day”
They were then asked which shot they wouldn’t like to take from each other.
“Your volley,” said Alcaraz without much hesitation.
The Italian agreed with his decision, but struggled with an answer himself.
“Yeah, that was easy though. I’m in a bad situation because you play everything good. Your serve, if I have to choose one,” he said.
Finally, the pair were asked what the hardest thing about playing one another is, and they gave some very interesting answers.
“You have to make the point three times. Every time you run so fast, it’s amazing, plus you never give up,” said Sinner.
Alcaraz had a similarly complimentary answer: “You play, you know, every point the same, nine or ten out of ten, you know it’s incredible, you don’t miss, sometimes it’s a nightmare.”
Sinner will be looking to score his maiden ATP Finals title in his native Italy, after coming so close, losing to Djokovic in the final last year.
The past three editions of the tournament have been held in Turin, but none have been won by an Italian.
In fact, in the history of the ATP Finals, very few champions have come from the host nation.
Tournament | Nationality | Champion |
2016 – London | British | Andy Murray |
2001 – Sydney | Australian | Lleyton Hewitt |
1995 – Frankfurt | German | Boris Becker |
1993 – Frankfurt | German | Michael Stich |
1992 – Frankfurt | German | Boris Becker |
1984 – New York | American | John McEnroe |
1983 – New York | American | John McEnroe |
1978 – New York | American | John McEnroe |
1977 – New York | American | Jimmy Connors |
Sinner will be hoping to buck the trend and become the first home ATP Finals winner since Andy Murray in London eight years ago.
Sinner will begin his ATP Finals campaign against De Minaur on Sunday, whilst Alcaraz will get underway against Casper Ruud on Monday.
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