Carlos Alcaraz Thinks Jannik Sinner is ‘Favorite’ to Win ATP Finals Ahead of Blockbuster Clash
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face off for the first time since the US Open this season.
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Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Jannik Sinner HQ)
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Carlos Alcaraz will end the season as the No.1 player even if the championship clash of the ATP Finals doesn’t end in his favor. The Spaniard will be up against none other than his arch-rival Jannik Sinner, who will be playing his third consecutive final in the year-end championship event.
Alcaraz is bidding to win his ninth trophy overall as well as his sixth Big Title of the season. Prior to this year, the six-time Grand Slam champion had never progressed to the final of the ATP Finals, losing in the semifinals in 2023 and in the round-robin stage last year.
It’s true, I’m the number one because this season I’ve done great things, but I, honestly, say that the favorite is Sinner. Indoors, he has won a lot of matches; it’s his surface, and he’ll have the whole audience on his side.
Carlos Alcaraz said at the press conference
Alcaraz played Sinner in Italy for the first time in this year’s Italian Open final, so he knows how the crowd will react during their match. In their head-to-head meetings, the World No.2 holds a 10-5 head-to-head record and has lost just one match- at Wimbledon- in their last eight encounters.
Obviously, I know I can beat him. If I thought I had no chance, I wouldn’t even take the court to risk my body or anything. I know what I’m capable of, especially after today’s level. I can do even better.
Carlos Alcaraz added
Sinner is chasing his sixth title of the season as well as his fourth Big Title following the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the Paris Masters. The 24-year-old is also on a 30-match winning streak on indoor hardcourt, last losing a match on this surface at the 2023 ATP Finals against Novak Djokovic in the final. Last year in the season-ending championship, the four-time Grand Slam champion defeated Taylor Fritz.
Patrick Mouratoglou doesn’t think Carlos Alcaraz has an edge over Jannik Sinner
Even though Carlos Alcaraz leads in the head-to-head matchups by a good margin, he doesn’t have an edge over Jannik Sinner, believes Patrick Mouratoglou. In an Instagram post, Serena Williams‘ former coach pointed out how, in almost every match between the two young Grand Slam champions, they were close ones.
At the moment, I cannot say that Carlos really has an edge over Jannik. I think they’re so close in terms of level. If you look at the matches, especially the Roland Garros final, you can see that the difference is almost nothing in a match. Even though Carlos has won many more times against Jannik than Jannik has against Carlos, if you look at the matches, they’re crazy close.
Patrick Mouratoglou said
The Roland Garros final, for sure, will be remembered for a long time. Alcaraz won it, despite being down 0-2 at first, and was on the verge of defeat because Sinner had three championship points in the fourth set.
After the ATP Finals, Alcaraz won’t be leaving Italy as he still has one more tournament to play. The 22-year-old will be representing Spain in their bid for their first Davis Cup title since 2019. Last year, Spain lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runners-up Netherlands, who, in the final, lost to Italy. The home team will not be without its star player.
Sinner chose not to play the Davis Cup Finals, which start on November 18. He wants an extra week off to start his pre-season early. Italy will be bidding to win its third consecutive title. Sinner played a huge role behind Davis Cup wins as he did not lose a single (singles or doubles) match in the previous two seasons.
Also read: Ben Shelton Comes to Terms with the Level of His Game After Crashing Out of the ATP Finals in Turin
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