TURIN, Italy (AFP) — Jannik Sinner will begin his bid to retain his ATP Finals title on Sunday and cap a turbulent year which could end with another showdown with his great rival Carlos Alcaraz.

World No. 1 Sinner has won two Grand Slams, including a landmark victory in the Wimbledon final against Alcaraz, since cruising to victory in Turin this time last year.

Sinner and Alcaraz are almost certain to qualify from their respective Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors groups, and another epic clash between the world’s two best players in either the last four or final of the eight-man tournament is a tantalising prospect.

“If I manage to do it great, if not I’ve still had an incredible season, one with not a lot of tournaments but with a lot of matches played and plenty won,” Sinner told reporters on Friday.

“The first match is really important because usually you don’t play against one of the best eight players in the world, and that’s what makes it different for everyone.”

Sinner’s 2025 has also been dogged by controversy, with a three-month ban chopping out a large chunk of his season despite the World Anti-Doping Agency accepting that the Italian was accidentally contaminated with banned clostebol last year.

His decision to not take part in Italy’s Davis Cup title defense, in Bologna, has brought down hefty criticism from a portion of the country’s media who have never truly warmed to their biggest sports star.

Sinner’s origins in the German-speaking areas of the South Tyrol and residence in Monaco have frequently been used to cast doubt on whether he is Italian at all.

The 24-year-old insisted that he was “proud to be Italian” in an expansive interview given this week to Sky in Italy, Sinner’s number one media backer since he turned pro. 

Regardless, he is beloved by the Italian public and will cheered on by an army of fans in Turin, where last year he cruised to victory unbeaten while Alcaraz crashed out in the group stage.

Sinner goes into the Finals first in the world rankings but he could lose top spot even if he wins the tournament. Alcaraz can grab the year-end summit by improving on his performance in last year’s event.

Alcaraz trained with Sinner on Friday ahead of his attempt for a first Finals crown. The Spaniard is also looking to add to two Grand Slams won this year, with the Roland Garros final won against Sinner one of the best matches ever played.

There is little tension between the two players despite even though they are by some distance the best two players on the planet.