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Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz: Great rivals on the court, but not afraid to open up to each other off it!

The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Sinner and No. 3 Alcaraz grilled each other with a selection of fun questions ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, where they are both chasing their maiden title at the prestigious season finale. The pair talked about which shot they would take from their rival and revealed the nickname they each had for the other in the locker room.

“I call you, like everybody, ‘Carrot’”, said the Spaniard, a reference to Sinner's penchant for eating the vegetable at changeovers. Meanwhile, the Italian’s nickname for Alcaraz was more related to the Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion’s approach to the game.

“I would say, which suits you well, is you are a ‘Beast’”, said Sinner. “’The Beast is coming’, and then you come in.”

All this was before Sinner and Alcaraz’s one-on-one entered ‘Savage Mode’. The questions got spicier, and perhaps the great rivals’ most honest assessment of each other’s skills (not to mention sense of fashion) came out! Watch the video below to see the full exchange in Turin:

Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos were just one win away from claiming the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023. They lost in the final to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. One season later, Spaniard and Argentine are back in Turin after a spectacular 2024 season that has catapulted them to the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Doubles Team Rankings, where they could end the season if things go their way in Italy.

“We arrive here after a very good year,” Granollers explained on Saturday. “We’ve had good results in almost every tournament we’ve played in. We’ve had a very consistent year and arriving here with these results really gives us confidence,” he added. “We’re playing well, practising well and hopefully we’ll have a good tournament.”

Granollers and Zeballos, who will play their opener on Sunday against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, have paced themselves exceptionally well throughout the season, with a very well-thought-out schedule.

“Neither of us are 20”, said Granollers, 38. “We try to achieve that balance, to be fresh and hungry and have a good mindset when the important tournaments come around. Judging by the results we’ve had throughout the year, it’s worked well for us. We’ve managed to create a schedule that prioritizes the big tournaments,” he added.

“I think if you look after yourself and do things right... we see a lot of doubles players of our age, some even older, and they’re able to play at a good level,” continued Granollers. “We’re not thinking five years ahead, really we’re taking things more year by year. We feel good, we’re playing well, so why not?”

“A few days ago I read an interview where Juan Carlos [Ferrero] was saying that I have to learn that the season stretches from January to November. He couldn’t be more right. Maybe I struggled to handle the last part of the season. I have so many things to improve on, and that’s one of them. Learning that a tennis player’s season doesn’t end in June, August or September, it lasts until November.”

Carlos Alcaraz uttered these words in November 2023, shortly after bowing out in the semis of the Nitto ATP Finals at the hands of Novak Djokovic, in reference to his handling of the closing stages of the season, the tournaments following the US Open.

In 2023, after the final Grand Slam of the season, Alcaraz was knocked out in the semi-finals in Beijing (by Jannik Sinner), he won two matches in Shanghai and lost his first in Paris before arriving at the Nitto ATP Finals and suffering immediate defeat to Alexander Zverev.

Although he would make amends for his sluggish start (seeing off both Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev to progress from his group into the semis, where he lost to the Serb), the Murcia native was highly critical of himself. Ferrero was in full agreement with his understudy.

“After the US Open, our level dropped a bit and in that regard we have to improve,” admitted Ferrero at the time. “You have to be more focused on being a professional all the time. On the other hand, we know that we have to improve his game and his mentality. These things should mature now he’s in his 20s. He is very self-critical.”

Taylor Fritz delivered a statement performance Sunday to kick-start his campaign at the Nitto ATP Finals.

The American surged to a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fourth seed Daniil Medvedev to make a perfect start in his second appearance at the season finale. Fritz capitalised on an error-strewn opening set from Medvedev, during which he hit seven double faults, before pulling clear in the second. 

“[The serve] was a big part of it for sure,” said Fritz, who won 85 per cent (33/39) of first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “He’s such a good returner. You can make a lot of first serves, but if they are not very high quality, he just puts so many returns in the court.

“It was huge for me, I hit a lot of lines, a lot of spots to start out games. I got out of a lot of service games [with] no pressure. Some of the ones we got tight in, I was either able to grind through the long rallies or get myself some free points.”

Dominant from @Taylor_Fritz97 ?

A great Serve #ShotQuality was ? against one of the top returners on tour.

Whilst his Return performance was also very impressive, especially on 2nd Serve, returning at 81mph ?#ShotQuality is calculated in real-time by analysing each… pic.twitter.com/L5GNpp8pnn

Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur each know what it takes to become champions on the court. Collectively, they boast 54 ATP Tour titles, and this week, they will vie for the ultimate prize when they compete in the Ilie Nastase Group at the Nitto ATP Finals.

But who has inspired them to become the champions they are today? During Thursday's media day, each star revealed their idols, celebrating their positive qualities and sharing memories.

“I would like to start with my dad, who always did his best to make me feel comfortable,” said Sinner, who this year became the first Italian to reach No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “He cared for our family alongside my mom, so he’d be my first choice.

“The second would be Steph Curry, whom I met this year. He’s transformed basketball and is such a nice guy. Third, I’d choose Usain Bolt. I don’t usually watch races, but watching him run was always exciting."

Sinner's first opponent at the Nitto ATP Finals will be Alex de Minaur. The 25-year-old Australian is the first from his country to qualify for this prestigious year-end event since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004. De Minaur had the chance to play doubles with Hewitt in Estoril in 2018 and Brisbane in 2019, even winning a match with him in Portugal.

There is more at stake at the Nitto ATP Finals than the prestigious title at the season finale. The sport’s biggest stars will also be jockeying for the final positions in the 2024 ATP Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals Bonus Pool, which offers $20.5 million.

Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev are first and second in the Bonus Pool standings heading into the year-end championships, with the Italian leading by 300 points. One year ago, Carlos Alcaraz earned more than $4.2 million for winning the Bonus Pool.

There are 1,500 PIF ATP Rankings points available to the champion in Turin, leaving plenty of room for players to surge in the standings. Third-placed Andrey Rublev, fourth-placed Carlos Alcaraz and fifth-placed Daniil Medvedev round out the top five.

Bonus Pool Standings Following Paris:

ATP Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals 2024 Bonus Pool payments will be awarded to the 30 players who earned the most PIF ATP Rankings points at ATP Masters 1000 events and the Nitto ATP Finals this season.

Earlier this year, thoughts for Jordan Thompson turned to tiramisu in Italy. Or more specifically, enjoying that dessert with his Aussie mate and fellow Sydneysider Max Purcell at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

Having combined to win four titles this season, including a first Grand Slam at the US Open, it’s an objective the Australian teammates happily achieved.

“Still need to have the tiramisu,” joked Purcell from Turin, where the Australian duo are the No.5 seeds. “But yeah, we’re proud of our efforts this year – we just went from strength to strength in the bigger events and there’s one more event to finish out this year.”

Success is especially sweet for the Australians after they suffered the heartbreak of surrendering three match points against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in the Wimbledon final.

“We didn’t lose too many matches. You know, one point away from winning Wimbledon, three chances there. Come back to the Slam and won the US Open,” said Thompson. “We just feel like we’re just getting better as we were getting better as the year went on.”

Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson kick-started the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals in style on Sunday afternoon in Turin.

The fifth-seeded Australian pair downed third seeds Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic 7-6(1), 6-3 on their debut at the prestigious season finale. Purcell and Thompson took control of the encounter during a mid-match hot streak: They stormed to the first-set tie-break before moving 3-0 ahead with a double break in the second set, a lead that ultimately proved unassailable.

“It was great. From the get-go, we were on it, we were ready to play,” said Thompson. “We’re happy to be here at the [Nitto ATP Finals] so it was massively pleasing… It’s great for our first time here. Started with a win, life couldn’t be better here.”

Dream debut in Turin for the Aussies ?

US Open champions @jordanthommmo2 & @MaxPurcell98 pick up their first win in the Mike Bryan Group!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/kxhea65rmE

After seizing a high-quality first set in the tie-break, Purcell and Thompson delivered a classy serving display in the second to complete their victory. The five-time ATP Tour champion team dropped just four points on serve in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, freeing them up to play aggressively in their return games.

As the Nitto ATP Finals kicks off, the second year of the Nitto ATP Finals Torino Green Project continues to elevate the tournament’s commitment to environmental sustainability. This initiative, driven by Nitto, ATP and the Federazione Italiana Tennis e Padel (FITP), features a series of projects that connect fans, partners, and local stakeholders, underscoring the power of partnership in advancing sustainable practices within the sport.

Highlight: The Green Wall
In the heart of the Fan Village, visitors will find The Green Wall — a sustainability-focused installation designed with live plants, developed collaboratively by Nitto, ATP and FITP. The wall invites fans to engage directly with the theme of sustainability, offering a vibrant backdrop for photos and social media shares that promote environmental awareness. Following the tournament, The Green Wall will be relocated within Turin, an active symbol of the city’s sustainability mission. As one of the European Commission’s 100 “Mission Cities”, Turin has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030.

Innovation Summit: Circular Economy Leadership
This year’s Nitto ATP Finals Innovation Summit hosted its third edition on Friday, bringing together thought leaders to discuss the ‘Right to Repair’ and circular economy initiatives. Speakers from Nitto, FITP, the City of Turin, and the Politecnico of Torino, among other industry representatives, joined a series of roundtable discussions, focusing on innovative approaches to sustainable consumption and waste reduction. The Summit reaffirms Nitto and ATP’s shared commitment to sustainability through thought leadership and active partnership with local institutions.

Fan Participation: Tracking Travel Emissions
For the first time, fans attending the Nitto ATP Finals will have the chance to support the tournament’s sustainability goals by logging their travel to and from the event. Powered by Nitto in collaboration with sustainability startup LOWR, this initiative will provide valuable insights into the carbon footprint of fan travel, a major contributor to event emissions. This project is part of ATP’s broader ATP Serves strategy, which focuses on advancing the sport’s sustainability.

“The Nitto ATP Finals is the pinnacle of our season, and we’re proud to see it leading the way on our sustainability roadmap,” said Massimo Calvelli, ATP CEO. “This progress is driven by partnerships, combining strengths to achieve meaningful change. Nitto’s support, alongside the commitment of all our partners, has been essential in making this event the best it can be — for tennis, our community and the planet.”

It's time to vote! We need your help to determine the Fans' Favourite winners in the 2024 ATP Awards. 

Which tennis players entertained you during the 2024 ATP Tour season? Show your support by selecting your favourite singles player and doubles team from the dropdowns below and submit your vote.

Voting for the 2024 Fans' Favourite Awards closes at 11:59pm GMT on Wednesday, 27 November. 

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we celebrate players and tournaments in the 2024 ATP Awards!

Note: Fans' Favourite candidates are active players in the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings and Top 20 teams in the PIF ATP Doubles Team Rankings as of 4 November 2024. The Top 100 includes players with protected ATP Rankings who have played at least one tour-level match in 2024. Candidates with protected rankings are noted in the list with (PR). 

The doubles stars of the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals gathered on Saturday for Media Day, during which they took the Official Doubles Photo at the Inalpi Arena.

Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic headline the draw and will compete in The Bob Bryan group with Italians Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori, Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden, and Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz. Second seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos top the Mike Bryan Group with Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic, Max Purcell/Jordan Thompson, and Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. All will compete for the title in Turin, starting on Sunday.

“Since January in Australia, each milestone has led us to this pinnacle in Turin and we eagerly anticipate the start of play on Sunday," said Ross Hutchins, Chief Tour Officer of the ATP Tour. "The NATPF sets the highest standards across all areas—player experience, production excellence, and fan engagement—and today’s opening of the Fan Village further underscores this commitment.

“Congratulations to each of our players; qualifying among the Top eight is an outstanding achievement and you have fully earned this stage. As we prepare for doubles’ biggest showcase of the year, we wish all players the very best."

Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Earlier in the day, the players took to stage in the newly renovated Fan Village, answering questions and signing autographs in front of a packed crowd.

Benjamin Bonzi overcame Cameron Norrie 7-6(6), 6-4 to lift his maiden ATP Tour title on home soil at the Moselle Open in Metz on Saturday.

Backed by a vocal home crowd, Bonzi delivered an impressive performance on serve, firing 10 aces and winning 75 per cent (45/60) of his first-serve points. The French qualifier entered the tournament with a 0-6 record this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“I am coming back from very far away this year. It was a very tough season,” said Bonzi in his post-match interview.

“I was not expecting a week like that. That’s crazy to finish the year like this.”

Playing Norrie for the first time, Bonzi took a 1-0 lead in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series. He will rise to No. 78 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, after having started the week at No. 124.

Top seeds Jamie Murray and John Peers wrapped up another strong week by clinching their second title together this season at the Belgrade Open on Saturday.

The British-Australian pair displayed solid form in the championship match and staged a comeback to oust fourth seeds Ivan Dodig and Skander Mansouri 3-6, 7-6(5), 11-9, in their maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting.

Murray and Peers maintained a near-perfect record and dropped their only set of the week in the final. The duo won 76 per cent (32/42) of their first-serve points, converted one break point out of five opportunities, and emerged victorious in one hour and 36 minutes.

With the win, they claimed their eighth title as a team. The pair, who teamed for the first time since 2016 in August this year, also won the Swiss Indoors Basel trophy in October.

Arends/Johnson clinch Metz crown
Sander Arends and Luke Johnson ended Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Albano Olivetti’s hopes of winning a title together on home soil at the Moselle Open on Saturday.

The 2024 Nitto ATP Finals kicks off Sunday in Turin with two singles matches and two doubles matches between the game's very best in the Inalpi Arena.

The Ilie Nastase Group will begin singles play on Day 1, with Italy's Jannik Sinner taking on debutatant Alex de Minaur in the evening session, after Daniil Medvedev meets Taylor Fritz during the day session. Day 1 doubles action will begin with Nikola Mektic and Wesley Koolhof taking on Aussies Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson, before Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos play Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.

[1] Jannik Sinner (ITA) vs. [7] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
No one at the Nitto ATP Finals has the luxury of playing his way into form in Turin. That's doubly true for De Minaur, who drew Sinner — already confirmed as the year-end No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings — as the opening assignment of his maiden campaign at the season finale.

The Aussie will hope Sunday is a day of firsts in more ways than one. In addition to making his Nitto ATP Finals debut, the 25-year-old will be bidding for his first Lexus ATP Head2Head victory in eight tries against Sinner.

“It is not rocket science, but you have to be ready from the word go. It doesn’t get any harder than starting against Jannik,” De Minaur said after the draw. “From the very start, I need to be ready, I need to compete. It is going to be a great experience. A great challenge. But this is where I have wanted to be all these years.”

After a five-year wait, Denis Shapovalov became an ATP Tour champion once again on Saturday at the Serbia Open, where he defeated Serbian Hamad Medjedovic 6-4, 6-4 to clinch his second tour-level crown.

Shapovalov was competing in his first final since Vienna in 2022 and was chasing his second title, having triumphed in Stockholm in 2019. The lefty is up 22 spots to No. 56 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, his highest position since he was No. 45 in October 2023.

"It was extremely tough. Hamad has been playing extremely well and is a good young talent coming up," Shapovalov said. "It is not easy playing the young guys. He served well and I was trying to do my best to get into his games and I got a bit lucky in the first set to break him. I hit a couple of lucky returns and kind of carried that momentum early into the second."

With a beaming smile, Shapovalov dropped to the court after sealing victory before he received the trophy from Serbian legend Novak Djokovic.

The 25-year-old qualifier played aggressively throughout the 77-minute final, firing 13 aces and winning 82 per cent (28/34) of his first-serve points according to Infosys ATP Stats to cap his week in style.

After a dramatic season on the ATP Tour, the Nitto ATP Finals is here, with the best eight qualified players set to compete at the year-end event in Turin from Sunday.

Italian World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz are aiming to win the title for the first time, while former champions Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev hope to go deep again in northern Italy. Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev complete the singles lineup.

In doubles, eight teams will battle it out on court in Italy, where Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic are the top seeds. Ahead of the event, ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch at the season finale.

1) Home star Sinner: Jannik Sinner enjoyed a standout season on the ATP Tour, climbing to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and winning majors at the Australian Open and US Open. Holding a 65-6 record on the year, the Italian will aim to add to his Tour-leading seven titles on home soil in Turin. Last year, the 23-year-old reached the championship match, falling to Novak Djokovic.

2) Ilie Nastase Group: Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur will compete in The Ilie Nastase Group alongside Sinner. The 2020 champ Medvedev is making his sixth consecutive appearance at the event, while Fritz reached the semis in 2022. Australian De Minaur, who has won two titles this year, is set for his debut. Alcaraz and Zverev have enjoyed a thrilling rivalry in 2024, with the Spaniard leading the German 2-1 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series this year. They are tied 5-5 overall.

The ATP has today launched the ‘ATP No.1 Club’, which for the first time in the 50+ year history of the official rankings will unite all former, current and future ATP World No.1 players. The initiative, unveiled at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, will celebrate the most remarkable achievement in men’s professional tennis: reaching the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Rankings.

The ATP No.1 Club today brings together an exclusive group of 29 players across generations – from Nastase and Newcombe to Borg and McEnroe, to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, to Alcaraz and Sinner – with future No. 1s to be directly welcomed into the Club. Through original storytelling, fans will be able to stay connected with these iconic champions, while celebrating one of the rarest accomplishments in all of sports: the achievement of the No. 1 PIF ATP Ranking.

In 2025, the Club will debut a dedicated brand identity, with each No.1 player receiving exclusive benefits, including invitations to signature events, promotional opportunities and more. As a landmark celebration of the new No. 1 Club, all 29 players will be officially honoured at a showpiece event at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. To mark the occasion, each player will be presented with a bespoke gift to commemorate their membership.

Speaking this week at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, No.1 Club members Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev shared their thoughts on what the No.1 ranking means to them.

The Inalpi Arena came alive on Friday evening in Turin. Italian music stars Marco Mengoni, Blanco and Madame performed on stage to officially open the 54th edition of the Nitto ATP Finals, with Jannik Sinner also making an appearance.

From Sunday, Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and the rest of the eight-man field will be hoping to entertain the fans in northern Italy with their tennis, but on Friday night it was a selection of the country’s best musicians who raised the roof, with the electric concert drawing in a capacity crowd.

Mengoni has won 10 Music Awards and three MTV Europe Music Awards in his career, while rapper Blanco rose to prominence in 2021 with two hits that topped the Italian Singles Chart. Madame, a 22-year-old rapper, has produced two albums since bursting onto the music scene in 2018. All three performed on stage and at the start of the night Sinner made an appearance. 

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings received a raucous reception when walking onto court and was in a relaxed mood when answering questions in Italian from host Alessandro Cattelan.

Earlier, a private dinner was hosted for Partners, ATP and FITP personnel in the Player Lounge, where a Michelin chef curated a memorable dinning experience.

For this year’s Nitto ATP Finals, we’re thrilled to present Momentum. This special collaboration gives every tennis fan the chance to claim free, official memorabilia from our flagship event - and have their love for the sport be recognised.

Here’s what you need to know:

What is Momentum?
Momentum is an eight-day experience where fans claim Traces: digital memorabilia from the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals (10-17 November).

What is a Trace, and why would I want one?
Traces are digital memorabilia that tell the story of the Nitto ATP Finals. Each of the 15 singles matches will have its own Trace, with a unique design created from official match data. Each is a keepsake that allows fans to relive showdowns between the world’s greatest players. Because they are time-limited, they are also a way for fans to prove: “I was there!”.