TURIN, Italy, Nov 8, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Jannik Sinner is trying to end an
eventful season in the perfect fashion as he returns to home soil as
favourite for his first ATP Finals title.

Italian Sinner arrives in Turin at the end of a sensational season in which
he was victorious at the Australian and US Opens -- his first Grand Slam
triumphs -- and won five more ATP titles.

The 23-year-old is seeking a first ever title at the season-ending tournament
in Turin and has come a long way since losing last year's final to Novak
Djokovic, pushing on to become world number one and a national hero.

Sinner is the first ever Italian to top the men's world rankings and ended
his country's 48-year men's Slam title drought, and he finished the "Race To
Turin" with more than 10,330 points.

That total is more than 3,000 points more than his closest rival Alexander
Zverev, highlighting just how dominant Sinner has been in 2024.

Sinner has however been dogged by controversy after twice testing positive
for traces of the steroid clostebol in March but being allowed to continue
playing.

He was initially cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in
August but at the end of September the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed,
seeking a ban of up to two years.

"We don't know anything yet (about the appeal)," Sinner, who has denied any
wrongdoing, told reporters on Thursday.

"It's not a pleasurable situation to be in but we remain optimists."

Fans in Turin will be hoping for another helping of Sinner's burgeoning
rivalry with flamboyant Carlos Alacaraz, also a two-time Slam winner this
year after he successfully defended his Wimbledon title and won at Roland
Garros for the first time.

"It's difficult to talk about a rivalry when you're so young. We're two
players who like to do battle," Sinner said.

"Being considered favourite is definitely different compared to last year but
I'm going to have the same approach to the tournament."

With Djokovic pulling out of the Finals injured there will be no
representative of tennis' "big four" of the 24-time Slam winner, Roger
Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray for the first time since 2001.

Djokovic, 37, withdrew due to an "ongoing injury" which meant he would end a
season without an ATP title for the first time in 18 years -- although he did
win gold at the Paris Olympics -- and his absence feels like the latest step
in a dragged out changing of the guard.

That ensured places for Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev and Finals debutant Alex
de Minaur, who will be Sinner's first opponent on Sunday night in the Ilie
Nastase Group.

Sinner and Alcaraz look like being tennis' new dominant forces but it is
Alcaraz who has had the better of their most recent meetings, winning all
three matches between the pair in 2024 including in the French Open semi-
finals.

Supporters hoping for a blockbuster clash between tennis' two biggest stars
will have to hope they meet in the knockout stages as they were drawn in
separate groups on Thursday.

Alcaraz begins his bid for a first Finals crown against Casper Ruud on Monday
in the John Newcombe Group.