Carlos Alcaraz sets up ATP Finals final against Jannik Sinner, calling the Italian the favourite despite their 10-5 head-to-head record
CARLOS ALCARAZ declared Jannik Sinner the favourite for Sunday’s ATP Finals title after both players secured straight-sets semi-final victories.
Alcaraz cruised past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-4 to set up the championship match against his Italian rival in the prestigious season-ending tournament.
The Spaniard holds a 10-5 career advantage over Sinner and has won four of their five meetings this season, all occurring in tournament finals.
Alcaraz triumphed at the US Open and Roland Garros but lost the Wimbledon final to Sinner earlier this year.
“I mean, I’m the number one… and he’s playing the best on indoor court,” Alcaraz told reporters.
“We’re playing in front of his home crowd, so I would say he’s the favourite.”
Sunday’s final carries extra significance with Alcaraz having pipped Sinner to the year-end world number one ranking.
“Well, I expect at least three or four people in the crowd cheering for me,” Alcaraz joked about the partisan Italian crowd.
Sinner advanced to the final by defeating Alex de Minaur 7-5, 6-2 earlier on Saturday.
The Italian has not dropped a service game throughout the tournament and brings a 30-match winning streak on indoor hard courts.
“Honestly every matchup (with Alcaraz) is different,” said Sinner.
“We saw it in Rome and Paris, even if it’s the same surface (clay), it can change.”
Sinner has won his last 18 sets in Turin and hasn’t dropped a set since losing the 2023 final to Novak Djokovic.
De Minaur acknowledged his perspective shifted after nearly missing the semi-finals following his group stage loss to Lorenzo Musetti.
“I had a little shift in perspective,” De Minaur told reporters.
“Of course, like, sitting here right now, I feel like I should have finished my Turin campaign having won two matches instead of one.”
Sinner became the youngest player since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004 to reach three finals at the season-ending event. – AFP
