The close of the ATP Finals in Turin has marked an end to one of the most dramatic seasons of tennis as of recent. The tournament itself is a prestigious event that only features the eight best players in the world. Unlike Grand Slams, the format has no warm-ups, and every match has high stakes. In the end, only one player comes out as the defending champion and earns himself a spot in tennis history.
This year, the tournament did not disappoint and delivered exactly what fans expected, rising stars alongside established champions. Many dark-horse threats were pushing the favorites, as the whole tournament was fueled by pressure and rivalry. So let’s take a closer look at what made Turin so exciting this year and how the season was closed off.
Why the ATP Finals in Turin Are Unique
The ATP Finals in Turin stand apart from other events for a few select reasons:
- Unique Indoor Hard Courts – The composition of the surfaces favors precision serving and quick footwork as well as aggressive play. This makes matches very exciting as the pacing is much different than that found on clay and slower hard courts.
- Court speed and altitude – Turin is a roofed arena setup, which favors faster courts and rewards strong servers as well as precise shot-makers.
- Round-robin format – The round-robin format is much different from traditional knockout tournaments. Here, each player plays three group matches, and those with the best score move on, which means that consistency is more important.
- Top-8 only – Tourin is unique because only the season’s best compete, resulting in high-stakes matches. This raises the pressure and makes the tournament very exciting to watch.
Because of these traits, Turin is much different when compared to a Grand Slam, especially when it comes to predictions.
The Top Contenders
For this year, the leading contenders in the 2025 ATP Finals were:
- Jannik Sinner
- An individual known to dominate the indoor hard courts, especially at his home court. His ability to beat his rival Alcaraz, in big matches played a big role in the tournament. His strengths are favored for this court as his first-strike tennis, serve, forehand aggression, and mental composure are formidable. However, he can be challenged and might even feel the pressure of being the defending champion.
- Carlos Alcaraz
- An athlete who has had an outstanding season just in terms of titles. Alcaraz has a solid indoor record compared to others in the tournament and remains a threat to all. His all-around game, power, and creativity might be exactly what’s needed to take the win home. However, it is important to note that he is inconsistent on indoor hard stages when the volume is high, like in this tournament.
- Novak Djokovic
- The fan favorite has had a fairly slow season compared to his competitors due to some physical ups and downs. Despite these ongoing challenges, he remains a dangerous presence for this tournament, simply because of his historically strong performances on indoor hard, as well as his mental toughness and match management. Despite this and his extensive experience and match-play IQ, due to a shoulder injury, he had to pull out for the second year in a row.
- Daniil Medvedev
- A seasoned contender with a good indoor track record, though occasionally inconsistent under pressure. Has a good serve and return balance, as well as previous experience in finals. This gave Medvedev a good shot as long as he could maintain his composure and withstand the high-stakes pressure.
- Alexander Zverev
- Zverev has had a solid season with very consistent performances throughout the season. He also has a decent indoor record and has experience with this event. His strengths are his big serves that are perfectly suited for Turin. However, he failed to capitalise on break opportunities in the end.
The Dark Horses Who Almost Disrupted The Draw
Apart from the top contenders, a few dark horses attempted to make an upset during Turin. These players might not be fan favorites, but they brought flair through match-up advantages to the tourney:
- Felix Auger-Aliassime – Boasting a solid indoor win rate and having good matchups made him a fun player to watch.
- Alex de Minaur – While not a traditional power player, the consistency that led him to Tourin seemed as a threat.
- Ben Shelton – Has a very big serve and raw firepower that lends well to round-robin formats.
These players might not be the favorites, but their unique strengths lend well to the tournament. This made them very exciting prospects that added a unique flair to the ATP Finals.
The Key Factors That Decided Turin’s Winner
In the end, we saw Sinner give an outstanding performance in front of his home crowd and defend his title. The series against his rival Carlos Alcaray was 7-6(4), 7-5. Both players dominated the season and ended the season with not one less than an amazing performance.
Despite all the stakes and expectations from the crowd, Sinner shook off the nerves and performed in the big moments. He showcased his dominance on indoor hard courts with the consistency we have learned to expect from him. This performance and outstanding dominance have many comparing the young Italian to prime Djokovic and other legends during their rises.
The Era Of Sinner Continues Through 2025
Following Sinners’ victory in Tourin, we will have another year with the king of the indoors as reigning champ. This back-to-back ATP Finals title showcases just how dominant Sinner can be. Ultimately, resulting in a season end with a 58-6 record and trophies at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Nitto ATP Finals, Paris, Beijing, and Vienna. The Tourin victory gives him strong momentum heading into 2026 and perfectly frames the season of dominance from the 24-year-old.
