Sinner hits Alcaraz-aimed change button, gets key win

This season-ending triumph is significant for the Italian in the context of this rivalry between two stars

- Rutvick Mehta

Jannik Sinner slumped on the bright blue court after the final point and lay flat on his back for a good few seconds. The last time he did that was after the final point of the 2024 Australian Open, to become a Grand Slam champion for the first time. In his three major triumphs after that, he simply lifted his arms in celebration.

This reaction was not typical of Sinner. This stage too was not the theatre called Grand Slams.

What, then, could explain the gush of emotion from an otherwise mild-mannered Italian on ‘winning the season-ending ATP Finals? Sinner, after all, had also gone alll the way last year, equally ruthlessly without dropping a set, and in front of his home fans in Turin. Been there, done that.

Perhaps, therefore, it had something to do with the guy he beat in the final. Carloz Alcaraz had Sinner’s number in seven of their eight previous clashes before Sunday. In Turin, after a humbling defeat in New York for the US Open title, Sinner pulled one back with a closely-fought 7-6(4), 7-5 victory.

This “W" is significant for Sinner not only in the context of this fascinating rivalry between two young stars eclipsing everyone else in men’s tennis currently, but also on the back of the Italian’s words at the US Open.