Jannik Sinner kept Italy's hopes of retaining the Davis Cup alive after winning matches in the singles and doubles to inspire a 2-1 comeback triumph over Argentina on Thursday. 

Sinner and Matteo Berrettini edged Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 6-4 7-5 in the deciding game to set up a rematch of last year's showpiece against Australia in the final four. 

However, the Italians started off on the back foot when Francisco Cerundolo downed Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-1 in an hour and 29 minutes. 

Musetti converted just two of the eight break points he was presented with, as Cerundolo put Argentina on the brink of reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2016.

But two-time grand slam champion Sinner, who won the ATP Finals last weekend, carried his momentum forward from Turin against Sebastian Baez. 

The world number one breezed to a 6-2 6-1 win over his opponent, serving seven aces to the Argentine's one, while also saving all four break points he faced. 

Sinner then returned to the court alongside Berrettini, with the pair replacing Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the must-win clash. 

The pair won 90% of their first-serve points and fended off all five break points they faced, earning a key break at 5-5 in the second set before surging to victory. 

"It was a must-win match," said Sinner. "Very different conditions. The court is very, very fast and tough to play.

"I haven't had so much time to adapt to the conditions, but I'm happy about today."

Data Debrief: The Italian Job

Italy edged closer to becoming only the sixth nation to retain the Davis Cup since the final stage was introduced 52 years ago, and first since the Czech Republic in 2013.

But they were inspired by Sinner once again, who proved why he will end the year at the summit of the ATP rankings. 

And after leading Italy to their first Davis Cup title since 1976 with a victory against Australia's Alex de Minaur last year, he will fancy his chances this time around. 

As far as seasons go, you won't find many better than Jannik Sinner's 2024 campaign.

The 23-year-old had long been assured of his place at the top of the ATP rankings heading into 2025, but to further cement his dominance of the men's circuit, Sinner dominated the ATP Finals in Turin last week.

Sinner's 6-4 6-4 defeat of Taylor Fritz ensured he became the first ATP Finals champion since Ivan Lendl in 1986 to win the tournament without dropping a single set.

He became the seventh player to win the event on home soil, and the first Italian champion, as he made it eight titles for the year, including the Australian Open and US Open.

Here, we recap Sinner's brilliant year using Opta's treasure trove of data.

Breakout major success

It almost seems strange to think Sinner began 2024 without a grand slam title to his name. That soon changed at the Australian Open, though, as he defeated Daniil Medvedev in a classic, five-set final.

Sinner did things the hard way at Melbourne Park, also overcoming Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals and Novak Djokovic in the last four. 

At the age of 22 years and 165 days, he became the youngest player to ever achieve successive wins over ATP top-five opponents in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of a grand slam, surpassing Michael Stich, who did so at the age of 22 years and 262 days at Wimbledon 1991.

That triumph also made him only the third Italian man to win a grand slam, after French Open champions Nicola Pietrangeli (1959 and 1960) and Adriano Panatta (1976).

By beating Djokovic, Sinner became the first Italian to defeat the ATP's top-ranked player at a major, with Italians previously going 0-23 in such matches since the ATP Rankings were first published in 1973.

Sinner would also record a final victory over Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters later in the year, becoming the first player on record to not face a single break point in back-to-back tour-level meetings with the Serbian.

Slam consistency

Of course, Sinner later followed up his Australian Open triumph by clinching the US Open crown, downing home favourite Fritz in the Flushing Meadows final.

Those major wins were two of seven triumphs for Sinner at hard-court events this year, making him just the fifth player to win seven or more finals on the surface in a year, after Andre Agassi (1995), Pete Sampras (1996), Roger Federer (2004-06) and Djokovic (2015).

But perhaps his remarkable consistency across all four grand slams is what stands out most.

Sinner reached at least the quarter-finals at each of 2024's majors, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open semi-finals and Medvedev in the last eight at Wimbledon.

At 23 years and 17 days, he became the third-youngest man in the Open Era to reach the quarter-finals at all four slams in a single season, after Sampras in 1993 (22 years and 18 days) and Rafael Nadal in 2008 (22 years and 83 days).

Sinner won 23 matches overall at grand slams this year, with no other player on the ATP Tour bringing up 20 (Alcaraz managed 19).

Top of the world

Following his defeat to Djokovic in the showpiece match at the 2023 ATP Finals, Sinner sat fourth in the ATP Rankings 12 months ago.

He had already clinched top spot for 2024 as early as October 15, when he beat Djokovic in straight sets in the Shanghai Open final. 

Since changes were made to the distribution of ranking points in 2009, only two players have ever sewn up top spot earlier – Djokovic in 2015 (September 14) and Nadal in 2010 (September 20).

No Italian had previously topped the ATP Rankings, and few could deny Sinner was a deserving recipient of the accolade. His 70 match wins were the most of any player on the ATP Tour in 2024, while his 92.1% win rate is the best by any player since 2015, when Djokovic won 93.2% of his contests. 

Sinner did not let the pressure of being number one affect him, either, going 37-3 since first taking top spot. His 92.5% win rate is the best by any male world number one by some distance, dwarfing Bjorn Borg's 80.4%.

With Djokovic turning 38 next year, most would agree Sinner's breakout season has been good for men's tennis, teeing up what could be a long period of dominance by the Italian and his rival Alcaraz.

His star should continue to rise in 2025.

Jannik Sinner says he has surprised himself in 2024 after capping off his incredible year with a maiden ATP Finals title on Sunday.

Sinner beat Taylor Fritz in straight sets in Turin to claim his eighth title of the season and become the first Italian champion in the competition.

He is the seventh player in the Open Era to win the ATP Finals on home soil, and the first since Andy Murray in 2016, as he collected his Tour-leading 70th win of the campaign. 

The 23-year-old, who had already confirmed his year-end number-one ranking in October, was delighted to finish the season on a high.

"It's amazing, it's my first title in Italy, and it means so much to me," said Sinner. "It's something very special.

"I just tried to understand what works best for each opponent, trying to play my best possible tennis. That was the key.

"It was a very high-level tournament from my side. At times, I couldn't have played better, so I am very happy."

Speaking to Sky Sports shortly after, he added: "Honestly, I have surprised myself the whole year at times, but in my mind, I know how much work I put in and how many sacrifices I have made to be in this position.

"I just try to play in the present moment."

Fritz, the first American to reach the final of the ATP Finals and US Open in the same season since Andre Agassi in 1999, will go into 2025 as the world number four.

The 27-year-old, who also lost to Sinner in the US Open showpiece, remained upbeat despite his defeat, revelling in his success over the past 12 months instead.

"It's been a really good week for me. Obviously, it's a good way to end the year. It gives me a lot of confidence finishing the season like this," Fritz said.

"Something I told my team in 2023 when I hit world number five for a week right before I was defending the Indian Wells title, was 'That's crazy, I'm five in the world, look at all these guys ranked behind me that are probably better than me'.

"Back then I was five, but I didn't feel like I was five. Now I'm ranked where I'm at. I feel like I belong.

"It's a different feeling. It's been a great year. That gives me a lot of confidence to have that belief. That's a huge part of having the big results. The goal I set for myself at the start of the year was to finish top five."

Jannik Sinner claimed his maiden ATP Finals title as the all-conquering world number one capped off a sensational season in style.

Sinner defeated Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-4 in Turin on Sunday, claiming his eighth title of 2024 in the process.

It was a rematch of this year's US Open final, which Sinner also won, and the Italian made home advantage count in another dominant show of force befitting of his place at the top of the ATP rankings.

Fritz, the first American to reach the final of the ATP Finals and the US Open in the same season since Andre Agassi in 1999, managed to force only one break point, and even that was clawed back by Sinner at the end of the first set.

And Sinner's performance on serve was ultimately just too strong for Fritz, who was on the end of a wonderful drop-shot in the final game as his opponent delighted the crowd.

A cross-court forehand went long from Fritz on the next point to decide the match, and complete Sinner's supreme season.

Data Debrief: King of the hill

Sinner is the seventh player in the Open Era to win the ATP Finals on home soil, and the first since Andy Murray in 2016, as he collected his Tour-leading 70th win of the season. He is the first Italian champion of this competition.

The 23-year-old has also joined Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals in the same year.

Having fallen at the final hurdle against Djokovic last season, Sinner was in no mood for a repeat of that heartbreak. Indeed, he went through the entirety of this year's tournament without dropping a single set, making him the first player to win the ATP Finals without giving up a set since Ivan Lendl in 1986.

Since the start of August, Sinner has won three of the four tournaments he has competed in, with his sole defeat coming to Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the China Open.

While 2024 will go down as Sinner's year, Fritz can at least take solace in a fine season of his own, and he will head into 2025 as the world number four.

Jannik Sinner cruised into the title clash of the ATP Finals after brushing aside Casper Ruud 6-1 6-2 in the semi-finals in Turin. 

Sinner, ranked number one in the world, will now face Taylor Fritz in his bid to win his first ATP Finals crown after the American shocked Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final on Saturday. 

The Italian was straight into attack against the sixth seed on Saturday, breaking serve in the second game before taking the first set in half an hour, with the home crowd cheering him on. 

Sinner did not afford the 25-year-old much success in the second set either, going on a five-game winning streak to progress to the title showdown by hardly breaking a sweat. 

On the showpiece match, Sinner said: "We [Taylor Fritz] already played in the round-robin format and will play again in the final.

"I just try to play the best I can [on Sunday]. Anything can happen. I'm just happy to be back here. I've grown as a player since last year.

"It's been a very positive week and year, so I'm really happy."

Sinner had overcome Novak Djokovic in the round-robin stage in the last edition of the tournament but went on to lose to the Serbian in the 2023 final.

He will now hope to buck the trend and claim his maiden crown against Fritz, who he beat in straight sets in the group stage on Tuesday.

Jannik Sinner made it three wins from as many matches at the ATP Finals with a routine victory over Daniil Medvedev in his final group-stage outing.

Sinner topped the Ilie Nastase Group and reached the last four with a perfect 3-0 record for the second season in a row, beating Medvedev 6-3 6-4 in 75 minutes.

After a late break saw Sinner take the first set, Medvedev threatened a fightback by reeling off three straight games in the second, only to immediately concede another break.

Speaking after the win, his eighth in 15 all-time meetings with Medvedev, Sinner credited his opponent for posing a tactical challenge.

"I'm trying to find new ways to improve as a player," Sinner said. "I'm trying to win as many matches here as I can. Me and Daniil, we know each other very well. 

"So, every time we step on court, we try to change something tactically. I felt like I was ready to see what he was going to do today.

"I know what I have achieved during this year, so I try to step on court with a good mindset. I have beautiful people around me who support me daily, which for me is really important."

Data Debrief: Sinner targeting exclusive club

Sinner's victory ensured smooth passage to the next round, as he bids to replicate the achievements of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the only previous players to win the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals in the same season.

The win – Sinner's ninth in a row – saw him draw level with Alexander Zverev for the most victories on the ATP Tour this year, with 68. They are the first duo to both record at least 50 in a single year since Djokovic (82) and Andy Murray (51) in 2015.

Jannik Sinner insisted he was prepared for the "aggressive" Taylor Fritz in their first meeting since the US Open final in September at the ATP Finals on Tuesday.

Sinner improved his record over Fritz to 3-1 with a 6-4 6-4 victory in Turin, going level with Alexander Zverev with a Tour-leading 67th victory of the season. 

The Italian now sits at the top of the Ilie Nastase Group after two games, and faces Daniil Medvedev on Thursday, with the Russian beating Alex de Minaur in straight sets. 

"It was a very tough match. We got to know each other from a grand slam final," Sinner said. 

"We knew exactly what to expect today. He was very aggressive, but I was prepared too. I just tried to serve well in the important moments.

"In the return positions, his quality of tennis was very, very high, so I was struggling to return his serve, but I was happy with the situation. 

"It was a very important day for me today, and I'm very happy that I got through."

Sinner fought off tough resistance from Fritz in front of a home crowd in Turin, hitting 22 winners compared to his opponent's 19.

Fritz had initially earned the first break point of the match, but was unable to make it count before fighting back from 0-40 to level the first set at 4-4.

Sinner ultimately piled the pressure on to win the first set and capitalised on a double fault in the second to break Fritz and win. Fritz will now face de Minaur on Thursday.

Jannik Sinner continued his quest to end his stellar season with the ATP Finals title after downing Taylor Fritz in straight-sets to earn his second win of the tournament. 

Sinner emerged a 6-4 6-4 victor in an hour and 40 minutes in Turin, with his latest triumph improving his record to 7-0 on indoor hard courts in 2024. 

The Italian showed his intentions with a love service game to open the first set, but was matched by his American opponent, who was also looking to maintain his perfect start. 

Sinner missed four break points in the eighth game, but made no mistake in Fritz's following service game to claim the early advantage in Turin. 

Fritz again traded blows with the year-end world number one, but would again lose a decisive break late in the second set that put Sinner within touching distance. 

The American exchanged in another pulsating rally with his opponent, but sent a backhand wide to send Sinner through and to the top of the Ilie Nastase Group after two matches.

Up next for Sinner is Daniil Medvedev, who beat Alex de Minaur earlier on Tuesday, while Fritz will face the Australian on Thursday. 

Data Debrief: The Italian Job

In a back-and-forth tussle with Alexander Zverev to end the year with the most wins, Sinner levelled the German with his Tour-leading 67th victory in 2024 on Tuesday. 

He also sealed a 12th win against an American opponent this season, only managing more wins against Ben Shelton (three) this season than Fritz (two, level with Alex Michelsen). 

Sinner (2023-24) is only the third player in the Open Era to claim 47+ ATP match wins on hard court in consecutive seasons after Roger Federer (2005-06) and Novak Djokovic (2012-13, 15-16).

After almost a month out of action, Jannik Sinner was delighted to shake off his rustiness with a straight-sets win over Alex de Minaur at the ATP Finals.

Playing on home soil in Turin, the Italian reeled off a 6-3 6-4 victory over De Minaur in 85 minutes, making a winning start to his bid to escape the Ilie Nastase Group, also containing Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev.

It was Sinner's first match since he won the Shanghai Masters on October 13, but he overcame some early nerves to showcase his impressive power from the baseline.

Asked about the impact of his long wait between matches, Sinner said: "Considering that, I'm very happy. 

"I started off with some unforced errors. He was playing great in the beginning of the match, so I just tried to stay there mentally, knowing that hopefully at some point my tennis would arrive. It arrived quite early, and I started to return very well.

"My serve, for sure I have to improve if I want to win the next match. Against Taylor, today he played really well. Hopefully this can give me confidence for the next one."

Data Debrief: The man for the big stage

Sinner's victory over ninth-ranked De Minaur is his 13th against a top-10 player in ATP events this calendar year, having also done so in 2023.

He is just the fifth player aged 23 or under to reach that mark in back-to-back seasons since 1973, after legendary quartet Bjorn Borg (1977-79), Ivan Lendl (1980-82), Pete Sampras (1993-94) and Rafael Nadal (2008-09)

The end of the 2024 season is upon us, but before the ATP Tour wraps up until 2025, there is one final big tournament to come.

That season finale is, of course, the ATP Finals, and it kicks off in Turin on Sunday, with eight of the world's top players vying for the prize.

Jannik Sinner is already sure of his place as the year-end number one, but there could be movement in the rankings below him, with Alexander Zverev heading into the tournament as the newly minted world number two, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz.

Reigning champion Novak Djokovic withdrew on Monday, meaning for the first time since 2001, none of the "big three" (Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer) will feature at the ATP Finals.

Djokovic beat Sinner last year to claim his seventh ATP Finals title, which is the most times a player has won the competition.

Sinner, fresh from triumphs at Flushing Meadows and the Shangai Masters, heads to Turin as the favourite, with an eighth title on the line, but let's look ahead to the 2024 ATP Finals with Opta's pre-tournament facts.

Sin(ner) City

Sinner will not only be the firm fan favourite in Turin, he will always be the favourite to claim the crown.

The 23-year-old has already collected a Tour-leading seven titles this season, including the Australian Open and the US Open, and will be out to go one better following his loss to Djokovic in last year's final.

Six of Sinner's victories have come on hard court, with his triumph at the Halle Open the only exception. 

The Italian is only the fifth player aged 23 or under to win at least six Tour-level titles on hard courts in a calendar year after Jimmy Connors (1973), Ivan Lendl (1981), Pete Sampras (1994) and Federer (2004).

Since the ATP's redistribution of ranking points in 2009, only Djokovic (2015) and Nadal (2010) have clinched the year-end number one earlier in a season than Sinner in 2024.

He is out to become the seventh player to win the ATP Finals on home soil in the Open Era, and will be the player to beat in Turin.

Alcaraz and Zverev scrapping for second

Zverev comes into the tournament in excellent form, on the back of winning the Paris Masters.

His triumph in France not only saw him move into second place in the rankings, but also saw him claim his 66th match win, which is more than any other player in 2024 (Sinner is second on 65).

Among the qualifiers for this year's event, Zverev (14) and Daniil Medvedev (11) are the only two to have recorded 10+ match wins at the ATP Finals.

Zverev is only 27, but he is comparatively a veteran at the ATP Finals when stacked up against the other players to have qualified for this year's event. The German will be featuring at the tournament for the seventh time.

Since the rankings were first published in 1973, Boris Becker (four) holds the most wins over the world number one at the ATP Finals – Federer and Zverev have the next-most such wins, with three each.

Among players with multiple matches against the world number one at the ATP Finals, Zverev (3-2) is the only player to hold a winning record.

With Djokovic out of the picture, Alcaraz will be hoping to get back into the top two to end the year.

Only Sinner (12) has claimed more top 10 wins in 2024 than Alcaraz (11), whose last such win came against Sinner in Beijing in September.

Alcaraz is the only player to claim multiple wins over top-five ranked opponents on hard, grass and clay courts in consecutive seasons since the rankings were published in 1973. John McEnroe (1984) is the only other player to achieve the feat in a single year.

The other names in the hat

Who else will be looking for glory next week?

Medvedev comes into the ATP Finals ranked at number four in the world. Only two players won more matches at grand slams in 2024 than the Russian (18), and they are Sinner (23) and Alcaraz (19).

Taylor Fritz reached his first major final earlier this year, losing to Sinner at the US Open. Only two players - Zverev and Sinner - have won more matches on the Tour in 2024 than the American, who has an impressive 49-21 record.

After qualifying for the 2022 ATP Finals, Fritz will become the first American to make multiple appearances at the event since Andy Roddick (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010).

Casper Ruud is one of only three players, along with Sinner (eight) and Alcaraz (five), to have reached at least five ATP finals this year.

Alex de Minaur, meanwhile, will become the first Australian to appear at the ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt 20 years ago.

Hewitt went on to reach the final, so there is a good omen there for his compatriot.

Jannik Sinner has confirmed his withdrawal from the Paris Masters after contracting a virus ahead of the ATP Masters 1000 event. 

Sinner, who has won a Tour-leading seven titles in 2024, will not be making his fourth appearance at the tournament in the French capital.

The Italian guaranteed his spot at the summit of the ATP world rankings earlier this month, with only two players in history having done so quicker.

Sinner is the second high-profile player to pull out of the final Masters 1000 event of the year, following seven-time champion Novak Djokovic.

“It's a very tough announcement. I'm not going to play here in Paris. We came here very early to prepare in the best possible way," Sinner posted on Instagram.

"After the first practice session, I really didn't felt good. I also talked with the doctor on Sunday. It's a virus, what makes you feel better in three or four days.

“Today I feel better already a little bit, but the body is not ready to compete and I still feel very, very weak.

"It doesn't make sense to go on court and try to compete for this tournament. [I am very] disappointed because it's a tournament where I would like to see where my level is at.

"That was one of my main goals for this week. But unfortunately I cannot make this happen.”

Frenchman Arthur Cazaux has received a lucky loser spot and will face Ben Shelton or Corentin Moutet in the second round.

Jannik Sinner mounted yet another comeback to overcome Carlos Alcaraz in three sets and become the inaugural winner of the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.

It is the fourth time the two have met this year, and Sinner triumphed for the first time, winning 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 on Saturday.

Sinner started brightly, taking a 4-1 lead in the first set, but was unable to hold onto his advantage as Alcaraz levelled the score before serving to love to force the tie-break.

The Spaniard let his lead slip twice but held on to take the first set, only to find himself on the backfoot once more in the second.

Sinner pulled ahead but was dragged back again, though was ready for the battle this time, breaking Alcaraz’s serve three times to force the decider.

Another three-game winning streak in the final set proved enough for the Italian to avenge his China Open defeat and claim a long-awaited win over Alcaraz.

Data Debrief: Sinner gets his revenge

This match will not go towards the pair's ATP head-to-head record, but it is a welcome win for Sinner, who has struggled to get the better of Alcaraz in 2024.

After losing at Indian Wells and the French Open earlier this year, Sinner also lost the China Open final, despite taking the first set in that match. 

But this time, he was the one coming from behind, just as he has so often in recent weeks, as the 23-year-old took the crown.

Jannik Sinner beat Novak Djokovic for the second time in five days to tee up a final clash with either Carlos Alcaraz or Rafael Nadal at the 6 Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.

Sinner, who beat Djokovic en route to his triumph at the Shanghai Masters last week, overcame the 24-time grand slam champion again in three sets on Thursday.

The world number one picked up where he left off in Shanghai with a break in the very first game of the encounter, then another break seven games later saw him seize the opener in emphatic fashion, only dropping two points on his own serve.

Djokovic roared back in the second set, though, recovering from another early break before producing a flawless tie-break performance to level things up.

The decider was a far more even affair, Djokovic forcing two break points at 3-2 up before the momentum switched, with Sinner getting the better of the 37-year-old through three straight breaks of serve to wrap up a two-hour, 27-minute victory.

Data Debrief: Sinner maintains Djokovic streak

While Thursday's win at the inaugural exhibition event in Riyadh will not count towards the pair's official ATP Tour head-to-head record, Sinner maintained his fine recent form against Djokovic.

He has now won his last four matches against Djokovic overall, and five of his last six.

Jannik Sinner brushed aside Daniil Medvedev to reach the semi-finals of the 6 Kings Slam with a straight-sets triumph at the inaugural event in Saudi Arabia. 

Sinner, fresh from his Shanghai Masters victory last week, needed just over an hour to down his opponent, emerging a 6-0 6-3 victor in a repeat of this year's Australian Open final. 

The Italian asserted his dominance from the off, breaking Medvedev's serve in the opening game before hammering home his advantage to take the first set at a canter. 

Medvedev, however, responded well in the second, trading blows with Sinner, but was undone in the fifth game as the world number one broke his serve once again. 

Sinner held his serve and, despite squandering one match point, made no mistake at the second time of asking.

A showdown with Novak Djokovic, who he beat in last week's Shanghai showpiece, awaits in the last four.

"It was a very good performance, considering I only arrived here a couple of days ago," Sinner said. 

"I only had one practice session, but I was looking forward to coming here. It's something very new. We are six of the best tennis players in the world."

Michael Chang is confident men's tennis is in good hands with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, following confirmation of Rafael Nadal's retirement.

Nadal will feature at the Davis Cup Finals for Spain before ending his glittering career next month, becoming the latest of the "Big Four" to walk away from the court. 

Roger Federer called time on his career in 2022, while Andy Murray retired after the Paris Olympics earlier this year. 

While Novak Djokovic – who is one win away from claiming a 100th Tour-level title – remains the last active player from that iconic quartet, Chang is delighted with the next generation.

"I think it's pretty clear at this point, if you look at the matches of both Alcaraz and Sinner, their games are dominating," 1989 French Open winner Chang told Stats Perform. 

"Novak is still playing great tennis and to be able to win the Olympic Games is huge. You know he will still continue to fight for grand slam titles, but the games of these younger players and their confidence on court suggest they will be around for a while, barring any injuries.

"Jannik and Carlos have learned from the previous generation, they learned what it takes to go out and play unbelievable tennis.

"Carlos talks about how he watched these players growing up, how he has learned from them and taken their best qualities to improve his own game, which is very evident.

"They've inspired the younger generation and are well-liked off the court as well.

"Fans can relate to them, they're very humble in nature yet competitive on the court, which is a continuation of that kind of atmosphere and attitude that is really wonderful for our sport of tennis."

Sinner's triumph at the Shanghai Masters on Sunday saw him claim his place at the top of the ATP year-end world rankings, with only Djokovic and Nadal doing so quicker in a season since the modification of those rankings in 2009.

The Italian has won 65 of his 71 Tour-level matches this year, claiming seven trophies, including the Australian Open and US Open.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, won the other two grand slams. 

The Spaniard has won all three of his meetings with Sinner this season, and Chang believes this is only the start of a blossoming rivalry that will go beyond the sport as a whole.

"I think they've already begun to do that. Carlos, in particular, is involved in many non-tennis-related activities and I think that will be pretty commonplace for them," Chang added.

"They're young and vibrant, with interests outside tennis, which is great to see.

"I don't think they'll get side-tracked like some players who have done really well in tennis, and then all of a sudden have this modelling contract over here or this and that over there and then all of a sudden, where did their tennis go?

"I don't see that happening with Alcaraz and Sinner. They seem disciplined, focused, and one-track-minded, but they won't shy away from being involved in other pursuits.

"I think they will keep that focus and will be good for our sport."