Carlos Alcaraz fires a warning to Jannik Sinner after losing ATP Finals showdown in Turin
Carlos Alcaraz sent out a clear message to his big rival Jannik Sinner after he came up short in a thrilling championship match at the ATP Finals in Turin.
Sinner extended his unbeaten record on indoor courts to a staggering 31 matches as he recorded at 7-6(4), 7-5 win against Alcaraz, with a hamstring problem sustained by the Spaniard in the first set hampering his ambitions in front of a passionate Italian crowd.
The roars to toast the victory for local hero Sinner from the Turin fans were raucous, but Alcaraz is already turning his thoughts to 2026 as he suggested he ‘will be ready’ for the next battle with his big rival, as their friendly rivalry was tested by a feisty comment from Alcaraz.
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“I’m just really happy with the level that I played today, with the performance,” said Alcaraz. “I mean, I just played against someone that haven’t lost a match on an indoor court for two years now.
“A well deserved trophy. It is a great year for you. You know, it’s time to rest. Hope you are going to be ready for next year, because I will be ready.
“Hopefully we will play more finals against each other. It’s been a really long year, a really great achievement, and really great level through the whole year.
“It wasn’t to be to win this final, but I just want to let you know that I’m going to leave the court with the head really high. I left everything.”
Alcaraz was a point away from winning a very tight first set and Sinner admitted he had been pushed all the way by the one player who seems capable of taking him out of his comfort zone.
“It was a very, very tough and close match-up,” reflected Sinner. “I was set point down in the first set, but I’m extremely happy how I handled the situation. It means the world to me.
“It was tough. Playing against Carlos, you have to play at your best. I was serving very well at times. He is one of the best returners, if not the best returner in the game. I’m very happy.
“It was a very tough match, but it means a lot to me, ending the season like this. It’s amazing.”
Sinner also spoke to Sky Sports Tennis, as he revealed the emotion of winning on home soil meant so much to him.
“It has been an incredible season,” he said, before he appeared to reference his drug ban that took out three months of his 2025 season. “There were difficult moments for various reasons and finishing the season in Turin with the home crowd against my biggest rival was amazing.
“For sure, this week ranks very, very high. I used to not serve like this in the big moments. We want this shot to be more consistent and we worked hard on this. Finishing the season like this, it means a lot to me.”
Sinner will now have a brief break before he set his sights on trying to defend his Australian Open title in January, where another Grand Slam meeting with Alcaraz may be on his agenda.
