Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the championship match at the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time on Saturday evening in Turin, defeating a resurgent Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-4. The victory, achieved in one hour and 23 minutes, sets up a blockbuster final against his main rival, the World No. 2, Jannik Sinner, concluding an extraordinary 2025 ATP Tour season. Alcaraz, who received the ATP Year-end No. 1 trophy on Friday, finished the round-robin stage undefeated in the Jimmy Connors Group.
The World No. 1 outclassed the Canadian, particularly in the opening set. Alcaraz secured the first break of the match at 3-1 with a crucial combination shot; a forehand drop shot followed by a full-stretch volley, that neutralized Auger-Aliassime's defense.
The Spaniard reflected on his execution, stating, “I felt like I could do everything on court. I think that confidence helped through the whole match, pushing him to the limit." Alcaraz dominated the opener, striking 13 winners to just two unforced errors, and secured the lone break in the second set at 4-4 to close out the match.
By reaching the final, Alcaraz becomes the first Spaniard to reach the championship match at the year-end event since Rafael Nadal in 2013 and aims to be the first from his country to lift the trophy since Alex Corretja in 1998. The final appearance is Alcaraz's tour-leading 11th final of the year, a season in which he secured multiple Grand Slam titles and a total of eight titles, leading the tour in overall wins i.e. 71.
The final pits the world's top two players against each other in a fitting conclusion to the year. Alcaraz holds a 10-5 overall lead in the series against Sinner, including a 4-1 advantage in 2025 matches, which included two Grand Slam finals (Alcaraz won the French Open, Sinner won Wimbledon).
However, Sinner presents a unique challenge on his home turf, riding a formidable 30-match indoor winning streak and having reached his third consecutive ATP Finals title match without dropping a single service game this week.
Alcaraz anticipates a high-level contest, acknowledging Sinner's form and home-court advantage: “It is great facing Jannik... 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.” The final, scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 p.m. IST, will decide the season's last major champion.
