With the ATP Finals right around the corner, one player may be looking to end Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s streak of dominance…
The world number one and two have won pretty much all there is to win in tennis this year, but would still love to add the ATP Finals title to their collections.
They won’t have it easy, however, as they are set to be joined by six of the best players in the world: Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur, and either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Lorenzo Musetti.
Looking ahead to the ATP Finals, Italian tennis legend Paolo Bertolucci suggested that Sinner and Alcaraz are the clear favorites.
He did, however, name one player as a potential contender for the title, should he have a couple of ‘perfect days’ in Turin.
Paolo Bertolucci says ‘only’ Alexander Zverev can challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in Turin
Writing for La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bertolucci shared his thoughts on the upcoming tour finals.
“[Jannik] Sinner’s confidence is high, and the confidence he brings to the Finals speaks of a player who fears no one and knows where he wants to go,” he said.
“Making predictions about the tournament? Simple: Sinner is there, and there’s no question about it. [Carlos] Alcaraz had a physical problem in Paris, but we’ll see him competitive again in Turin.
“The others, while dangerous on individual days, seem far away.”
Of the six players set to join Alcaraz and Sinner in Turin, Bertolucci believes only one can challenge the pair.
“Perhaps only [Alexander] Zverev, if he has a perfect day, can threaten them, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to beat them,” he said.
2025 ATP Finals field
| Rank | Name | Country | 2025 points | Status |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain | 11,050 | Qualified |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | Italy | 10,000 | Qualified |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | Germany | 4,960 | Qualified |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 4,580 | Qualified |
| 5 | Ben Shelton | USA | 3,970 | Qualified |
| 6 | Taylor Fritz | USA | 3,935 | Qualified |
| 7 | Alex de Minaur | Australia | 3,935 | Qualified |
| 8 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Canada | 3,845 | Currently qualifying |
| 9 | Lorenzo Musetti | Italy | 3,685 | Not currently qualifying |
“When Sinner and Alcaraz are in the draw, it’s hard to imagine a different final: they are the two big favorites, and they will be in Turin as well.”
Bertolucci was right to name Zverev as a contender, given the success he’s had at the event in previous years.
Other than Djokovic, the German is the only player in this year’s field with multiple ATP Finals titles to his name.
ATP Finals winners in the 2025 field
- 1. Novak Djokovic (7) – 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023
- 2. Alexander Zverev (2) – 2018, 2021
- 3. Jannik Sinner (1) – 2024
Zverev has won the title twice and holds an impressive 17-10 (63%) record at the tournament.
If he does bring his best tennis to Italy, you wouldn’t want to bet against him winning his third title in 2025.
Paris Masters showed the ‘distance’ between Jannik Sinner and the rest – Paolo Bertolucci
Bertolucci thinks Alcaraz and Zverev could challenge Sinner in Turin, but used the Paris Masters as evidence for why the others will struggle.
“Let’s look again at the tournament just concluded in Paris: [Felix] Auger-Aliassime, for example, played a good match, is in form, is world number 10, but lost in two clear sets without ever having a break point,” he said.
“The same thing happened with [Ben] Shelton, number six, swept away 6-3, 6-3 in just over an hour.
“These numbers alone speak volumes about the distance that separates the others from Sinner today.
“He looks to Turin with the light-heartedness of champions and the hunger of someone who has never stopped surprising.”
Only time will tell if Sinner can defend his ATP Finals title in 2025, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
The 2025 ATP Finals are scheduled to begin on Sunday, November 9, in Turin, Italy.
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