Carlos Alcaraz just fell short of the ATP Finals title after being beaten by Jannik Sinner in the final.
Alcaraz had already secured his year-end number one ranking, and he was looking to get another one over on Sinner in the final in Turin.
Despite being the top ranked player in men’s tennis, Alcaraz admitted that Sinner was the favourite and that’s how things ended up playing out.
This is the sixth final Alcaraz and Sinner have played this year, and now the Spaniard is already looking ahead to 2026 after his loss.
Carlos Alcaraz sends warning to Jannik Sinner ahead of 2026 season
After Sinner beat Alcaraz, 7-6(4) 7-5, both players addressed one another in the post-match speeches.
Although they are each other’s closest rivals, it is clear to see how much respect and admiration Alcaraz and Sinner have for one another.
Alcaraz showed this in the trophy ceremony, where he praised Sinner for the way he has been able to bounce back from defeats this year.
“I am really happy with the level I played today, with the performance,” said Alcaraz. “I just played against someone who hasn’t lost a match on an indoor court for two years now.
“That means what a great player you are. With your team, putting in great work. Every time you come back even stronger after every lose, you don’t have manner, but after every loss you come back stronger.”
While he was full of praise for Sinner, later on in his speech Alcaraz sent a message to the Italian and warned him to be ready for the 2026 season.
“I would say it’s a great year for you. It’s time to rest, hopefully you will be ready for next year, because I will be ready!” added Alcaraz. “Hopefully be playing more finals against you. It’s a well deserved final for you and a well deserved trophy.”
This will include Alcaraz looking to win the Australian Open for the first time, the Grand Slam tournament where Sinner is a two-time defending champion.
Is another Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner final good for men’s tennis?
Coco Gauff’s former coach sends message to Jannik Sinner after he wins the ATP Finals
Sinner has now won 32 consecutive matches on indoor hard courts, with his last defeat coming in the final of the ATP Finals against Novak Djokovic in 2023.
There has been a big reaction to Sinner’s victory over Alcaraz, including from the former coach of Coco Gauff, Brad Gilbert.
In an immediate reaction to Sinner’s ATP Finals title defence, Gilbert wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Unbelievable effort from Sin City wins year-end @atptour championships back-to-back years without dropping a set, finishes the year on three straight indoor titles.”
Sinner had chosen to skip the Davis Cup Finals this year, and therefore this is now the end of his 2026 season.
However, Alcaraz is still signed up to compete for Spain in Bologna, but there may be some doubts after his loss in the final of the ATP Finals.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
