The ATP Finals held their draw on Thursday in Turin, and a very familiar face was missing: Novak Djokovic.
The seven-time champion will miss this year’s season-ending event due to injury, leaving the tournament without its defending champion and an elite eight that does not feature a single player over the age of 30. If you're scoring at home, this year’s ATP Finals does not feature a member of tennis’ vaunted Big 3 for the first time since 2001.
That said, there are some mouthwatering possibilities at play in Turin.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will bid for their first title at the ATP’s prestigious season-ending event from opposite halves of the draw.
The pair, which claimed all four of the Grand Slam men’s singles titles on offer in 2024, have been drawn into different groups, with Sinner going into the Ilie Nastase Group, while Alcaraz has been placed in the John Newcombe Group.
Here’s how the groups shape up:
Ilie Nastase Group: Jannik Sinner (1), Daniil Medvedev (4), Taylor Fritz (5), Alex de Minaur (7).
John Newcombe Group: Alexander Zverev (2), Carlos Alcaraz (3), Casper Ruud (6), Andrey Rublev (8).
Of note is the fact that two-time champion Alexander Zverev has been drawn into Alcaraz’s group. The German has split 10 previous encounters with Alcaraz, losing their last meeting in five sets in this year’s French Open final.
Sinner was a finalist last year in Turin, losing to Djokovic in the final. He is making his third appearance at the ATP Finals. Alcaraz reached the semifinals last year, also losing to Djokovic in his ATP Finals debut. Alcaraz and Sinner have yet to meet at the ATP Finals before. If they do meet in this year’s semifinals or finals, it will mark their 11th overall meeting and fourth of 2024.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev, drawn into Sinner’s group, is one of two competing players that have previously won an ATP Finals title. He triumphed in 2018 and 2021, while fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev took the title in 2020.
The doubles draws have been revealed as well:
Bob Bryan Group:
Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic (1), Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden (6), Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz (8).
Mike Bryan Group: Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos (2), Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic (3), Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson (5), Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten (7).
Action begins on Sunday at the Inalpi Arena in Turin.