Jannik and Carlos are the Big Two that we constantly compare to the Immortals. In the game of roles, tonight it’s the blue’s turn to regain control of the inertia of the rivalry after the US Open. And Milan is studying the handover of the tournament
The way to get into the head of your nemesis sometimes passes through inscrutable holes. Jannik Sinner started studying Spanish. Not every day, not with a professor: he frequents Duolingo, an online platform, and here in Turin he threw himself – between funny faces and cold sweats – into the first interviews in the language of Alcaraz. You again, Carlitos? For the first time, three Slam finals and the Masters feature the same two tennis players, those two, the Big Two that we constantly compare to the Immortals. A circumstance that explains better than any statistic – 16th direct comparison at ATP level, sixth of the season – the long shadow of the predestined on the circuit.
Sinner-Alcaraz, Turin has the final it dreamed of
They at the top, taking turns in command. The third in the ranking, Zverev, is today more than 6 thousand points behind; the fourth is a dinosaur, Djokovic, who survived the meteor shower. Sinner and Alcaraz are the only inhabitants of a distant galaxywhere the rarefaction of oxygen prevents any terrestrial settlement. Aliens on the tennis planet, rulers from Australia (S) to New York (A), passing through Paris (A) and London (S). Everything else is boring. Turin has the final it dreamed of. The madness in the city (sold out hotels, skyrocketing tickets) will be a topic in the negotiation of a transfer to Milan from 2028, which appears necessary: the related activities generated by the award-winning Sinner&Alcaraz company need to expand, the approximately 50 thousand more seats in the new arena in Santa Giulia (3 thousand tickets for two sessions a day for eight days), almost completed for the Olympics, are tempting for the ATP, owner of the tournament, and for the Federtennis, which organizes it. The chase between Jannik and Carlitos gives a glimpse of ten years of duopolyin the game of roles tonight it’s the blue’s turn to regain control of the inertia of the rivalry after the US Open: in 2025 Spain-Italy 4-1 (unfortunately the trip to Riyadh to do the ATM at Six Kings doesn’t count).
Jannik expands his portfolio of idioms, Carlos got his driving license (“During the exam I was so tense that I didn’t turn on the indicator before pulling over”); Mum Alcaraz arrived but not Mrs Siglinde: «My brother Mark is here – the reigning champion said yesterday with spirit -, mum and dad I don’t think they will come. They have some things to do at home, obviously more important…”. The Italy box is illuminated by Laila, the official girlfriend profile that Alcaraz has not yet cleared. Yet Carlitos has very clear ideas about the fact that there is life beyond tennis: «My biggest fear? Getting stuck in a loop, in an existence where I do things I don’t want to do.” His outlet is called Ibiza, but once again he has succumbed to the charm of the easy money of the exhibition: from tomorrow Jannik will go on holiday, then straight into retirement to build the foundations for the 2026 season, the year of regaining the no.1; Carlos, on the other hand, will be in the USA on 7-8 December (with Tiafoe and Fonseca), very wrong. This year he won eight tournaments. Could it have gone better, asked him the Spanish colleagues to whom he indulges, er, on a daily basis. «Of course – he replied -, it will be better if I close at ten by winning the Finals and Davis».
The fast indoor is Haus Sinner. In the semi-final against poor De Minaur, 13th defeat in 13 matches, he was ruthless. In the first set the Australian erected a Trapattonian bolt, running like a hare to escape the hunter, who shot him but not before wasting ten break points and offering four. He is a generous Sinner, here at the Finals, tenth final (5 titles), capable of smoothing out every wrinkle in the garnet velvet with his serve, which has risen to levels of excellence: 39 rounds held in the tournament, zero break points granted in four matches. The last one to take a set away from him in Turin was Djokovic in 2023first in the group and then in the final, that space-time arc in which Sinner overturned his destiny, taking off for the hyperuranium and opening up old age under the soles of the Djoker, who has always been knocked out ever since.
Let’s not be surprised if, during the final with Alcaraz – who walked with Auger-Aliassime new No.5 Atp (“On Sunday I expect 3 or 4 people cheering for me!”) and hit a forehand at 178 km per hour -, Jannik will bury his head under the towel at the change of court (“I do it to try to concentrate”), will start to make a fist towards the coaches from the first fifteen and will ask for the best performance of the serve week. At stake in the Finals is no longer the ranking, but much more. The signature at the bottom of the season, the last memory to carry into the new year. And where to start again.
