Carlos Alcaraz sets Jannik Sinner championship match at Nitto ATP Finals

Match Report

Alcaraz sets blockbuster Sinner championship match at Nitto ATP Finals

Spaniard overcomes Auger-Aliassime

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Carlos Alcaraz is the first Spaniard to reach the final at the year-end event since Rafael Nadal in 2013. By Sam Jacot

Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time on Saturday evening in Turin, where he ended the run of a recently resurgent Felix Auger-Aliassime to set a seismic final against his main rival Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz received the ATP Year-end No. 1 presented by PIF trophy on Friday and celebrated that achievement by putting on a show against Auger-Aliassime. The 22-year-old was a man on a mission in front of the capacity crowd in Inalpi Arena, producing several jaw-dropping moments to earn a 6-2, 6-4 victory after one hour and 23 minutes.

“I felt like I could do everything on court,” Alcaraz said on his first-set display. “It didn’t matter if I did forehand down the line, drop shot or backhand down the line, I felt that everything was going to be in. I think that confidence helped through the whole match, pushing him to the limit, pushing him to do something different and I am happy that I continued playing such great tennis.”

Into a Tour-leading 11th final of the year, the top seed is the first Spaniard to reach the championship match at the prestigious year-end event since Rafael Nadal in 2013. Alcaraz is trying to become the first player from his country to lift the trophy since Alex Corretja in 1998.

Alcaraz will renew his rivalry with Sinner in Sunday’s championship match, a fitting finale to an electrifying 2025 ATP Tour season. The World No. 1 and World No. 2 have dominated the year, splitting all four majors and stacking up 13 titles between them, including four ATP Masters 1000 trophies.

Alcaraz owns a 4-1 Lexus ATP Head2Head lead against Sinner this season (10–5 overall), but toppling the Italian in his own backyard won’t be simple. Sinner rides a 30-match indoor winning streak and will have a roaring home crowd behind him. The first ball for the final is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. CET, with both heading into the title match undefeated this week.

"It is great facing Jannik," Alcaraz said, looking ahead to the final. "If it was someone else I wouldn't mind to be honest but it is great. Thanks to him, I will try and approach the match in a different way. More focus and I know I have to play my plan A if I want to beat him, if I want to win the tournament, so I think we will both raise our levels to the top, which is great for the fans and the crowd."

Against Auger-Aliassime, Alcaraz seized the first break of the match with a flash of his trademark brilliance. After a bruising crosscourt backhand exchange, the World No. 1 feathered a wicked drop shot that yanked Auger-Aliassime toward the net. The Canadian somehow chased it down and flicked a desperate pass down the line, but Alcaraz sprawled full-stretch, stabbing a volley into the open court to seal the point and lead 3-1.

The Spaniard, who dropped just a set en route to the semi-finals, dominated the opener, striking 13 winners to just two unforced errors to lead. Alcaraz was made to work hard by a resilient Auger-Aliassime in the second set, but he found the key breakthrough in the 10th game when the Canadian made four unforced errors. The Spaniard now leads Auger-Aliassime 5-3 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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