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Only a short time ahead of the grand finale of the men's tour in the Italian city of Turin, the Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner show had commenced. While the two opponents are locked in battle to settle the year-end No 1 ranking, speculation circulated that they were set to share a training session. As expected, that afternoon they entered the stadium court together and were greeted by deafening roars from a significant crowd.

A Training Match That Gripped the Tennis World

The practice set that ensued drew similar focus as many matches this year. Countless spectators watched live to see the action unfold, and key moments were quickly posted later. The outcomes from practice sets usually do not leave the practice court, but on this instance the tennis world was promptly informed that Sinner had concluded the session with a victory by 6-3. They marked the occasion with a selfie that quickly went viral through social media.

"This is their tour now. Although Alcaraz suffered a poor loss in his first game at the recent tournament, the trend that has characterized this year's ATP season endured with the Italian's following win: whenever Alcaraz and Sinner have played at a event this season, one of them has ended the event with the championship."

The Question: Who Can Stop Them?

After years of anticipation and predictions about dominance, these performances are demonstrative of two unique talents who have quickly made their mark as legendary figures at such young ages. But this campaign has also reflected badly on the standard of the remaining players. Ahead of the season finale, the biggest inquiry is whether any competitor is seriously capable of defeating the top two.

The Contenders

Currently, their chances are dim. According to the official standings, the German star is the third-ranked athlete in the world. He also presently possesses less than 50% as many ranking points as Alcaraz at number two. He remains one of the most successful players to have failed to secure a big championship, but he has been outplayed by the top pair in their most significant matches and the difference only seems to be widening. After getting totally overwhelmed by the Italian in the first major of the year, his campaign has been unimpressive.

Considering he advanced to the penultimate stage of each slam event this season, the Serbian legend has shown that he is likely the third best player in the world. In theory, his opportunities of beating the top two are higher over three-set matches and on indoor courts than deep in the grand slam tournaments, but he competes in the Greek tournament finale and he is has not confirmed if he will participate in Turin. The five matches in his legs over the past week would surely be an additional hindrance to his prospects for victory in Italy.

There are more doubts among the other players. Taylor Fritz has had an superb campaign, embedding himself inside the top five. His psychological fortitude, continued improvement and the complete skill set he has developed complemented by his powerful delivery is praiseworthy but it is hard not see him as a player who is squeezing out all of his potential, as opposed to a player with sufficient scope for advancement to close the distance to the top two.

Fresh Talent and Veteran Presence

In his first ATP Finals, Ben Shelton is the least experienced of the remaining competitors and possibly the intriguing newcomer. Firstly, with his incredible power, versatile attacking game and physical prowess, he has enormous potential. But there are also gaps in his game, notably his backhand and return game, that the top players have taken advantage of effortlessly.

Alex de Minaur has admirably reached the ATP Finals for a second time in his career but his game is lacking in firepower against the elite players. The final spot in the draw will be determined on Saturday. If Lorenzo Musetti defeat the Serbian to win the Athens ATP 250 event, he would leapfrog the high-performing Félix Auger-Aliassime in the points race to become the eighth participant.

Key Missing Players

Just as notable as the participants in the Finals are the non-participants. The dramatic struggles of Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, three perennial top-10 players not very long ago, have done little to bolster the competition. The serious injuries to the British talent, in the midst of a monumental season, and Arthur Fils, the immensely talented youngster who seemed to be in the process of a landmark season, have weakened the chasing pack. No other player has made significant strides to elevating their game.

The Ultimate Conclusion

For anyone other than Sinner and Alcaraz, the idea of securing this season-ending championship seems very remote. However, in a competition showcasing the finest athletes in the world, with the pressure firmly on the shoulders of the two favourites, every match is an opportunity for the underdog to show what they are capable of. The tournament duration will show which player, assuming one exists, is equipped to rise to the occasion.