Jannik Sinner is ATP Finals favourite after brilliant and controversial year

TURIN – World No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy is trying to end an eventful season in the perfect fashion, as he returns to home soil as the huge favourite for his first ATP Finals title.

The 23-year-old arrives in Turin at the end of a sensational campaign in which he was victorious at the Australian and US Opens – his first Grand Slam triumphs – and won five more ATP titles.

He is seeking a first-ever title at the season-ending Nov 10-17 tournament and has come a long way since losing the 2023 final to Novak Djokovic, pushing on to become world No. 1 and a national hero.

Sinner is the first Italian to top the men’s world rankings and ended his country’s 48-year men’s Grand Slam title drought, as he finished the “Race To Turin” with 10,330 points.

That total is more than 3,000 points ahead of his closest rival Alexander Zverev, highlighting just how dominant he has been in 2024.

“Many things make (this tournament) special,” Sinner said on Nov 7.

“First of all, being an Italian and playing in Italy. I haven’t played in Italy this year, because I missed Rome.

“That was a really tough one, but I am even more excited and happy to be here.

“The atmosphere is just amazing... I’m just happy to be back here and hopefully, I can show some good tennis.”

It is not all a rosy picture, however.

He has been dogged by controversy after twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March but was allowed to continue playing.

He was initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in August but at the end of September the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed, seeking a ban of up to two years.

“We don’t know anything yet (about the appeal),” added Sinner, who has denied any wrongdoing.

“It’s not a pleasurable situation to be in but we remain optimists.”

On the court, fans in Turin will be hoping for another helping of Sinner’s burgeoning rivalry with the flamboyant Carlos Alcaraz, also a two-time Grand Slam winner this season after he retained his Wimbledon title and won at Roland Garros for the first time.

“It’s difficult to talk about a rivalry when you’re so young. We’re two players who like to do battle,” Sinner said of his rival, who is two years younger.

“Being considered favourite is definitely different compared to last year but I’m going to have the same approach to the tournament.”

The duo look like being tennis’ new dominant forces but it is Alcaraz who has had the better of their most recent meetings, winning all three matches between the pair in 2024, including in the French Open semi-finals.

Supporters hoping for a blockbuster clash between the two big stars will have to hope they meet in the knockout stages, as they were drawn in separate groups on Nov 7.

Sinner was drawn in the Ilie Nastase Group with Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, American Taylor Fritz and Australia’s Alex de Minaur.

Alcaraz, ranked third in the world, was drawn in the John Newcombe Group with Zverev, Norwegian Casper Ruud and Russian Andrey Rublev.

The top two players in each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

Sinner will face tournament debutant de Minaur on Nov 10 after 2020 champion Medvedev kicks off the singles against Fritz.

Alcaraz will open his bid for a first Finals title on Nov 11 against Ruud, before Zverev faces Rublev.

With Djokovic pulling out of the Finals injured, there will be no representative of tennis’ “Big Four” – the Serbian 24-time Slam winner, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray – for the first time since 2001.

Djokovic, 37, withdrew due to an “ongoing injury” which meant that he would end a season without an ATP title for the first time since 2005 – although he did win gold at the Paris Olympics.

His absence feels like the latest step in a dragged-out changing of the guard. AFP, REUTERS