As the ATP Finals kick off in Turin, the spotlight shines on World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his rival Carlos Alcaraz, who are poised for epic battles while navigating recent controversies.
Jannik Sinner, currently ranked World No. 1, will not have to face his primary competitor, Carlos Alcaraz, during the group stage of the ATP Finals, as they have been placed in different groups for the tournament starting this Sunday in Turin. Sinner is at the helm of the Ilie Nastase Group, which also features Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur. On the other hand, Alcaraz, the defending champion of the French Open and Wimbledon and presently ranked No. 3, will be competing in the John Newcombe Group along with Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Andrey Rublev.
In his first match, Sinner will go up against newcomer Alex de Minaur on Sunday evening, after the 2020 ATP Finals champion Medvedev competes against American Taylor Fritz. Alcaraz will kick off his pursuit of his first ATP Finals title on Monday when he faces Casper Ruud, while Zverev matches up against Rublev.
Sinner enters the tournament following a remarkable season, having won both the Australian and US Open titles along with five other ATP trophies. Nonetheless, he has been embroiled in controversy due to two positive tests for the steroid clostebol in March. Although he was initially exonerated by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed this ruling in September, pursuing a possible two-year ban.
Draw for the ATP Finals Group Stage:
· Ilie Nastase Group: Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, and Alex de Minaur
· John Newcombe Group: Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev
The leading two players from each group will advance to the semi-finals, creating opportunities for possible matchups in the concluding stages of this renowned season-ending tournament.
