The Nitto ATP Finals opened on Sunday 15 November at the Inalpi Arena in Turin and run until the 22nd. On Saturday evening ANSA wrote that the lights were about to come back on for the end-of-season tournament. On the ATP board, the first singles match, not before 2 p.m. Italian time, was world No. 1 Alexander Zverev against the Spanish debutant Rafael Jodar.

That same Sunday board shows Zverev winning it, 6-4, 6-4. In their only previous match, the Roland Garros quarter-finals this year, the German also won, and the ATP notes that he then took his first Grand Slam title. In doubles, defending champions Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten beat Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos, 6-3, 5-7, 10-4. In the evening Ben Shelton plays Arthur Fils, not before 8:30 p.m. On that Sunday board, the match had no score yet.

Thursday’s draw, published by the ATP, splits the groups this way. John McEnroe Group: Zverev, Shelton, Fils and Jodar. Ivan Lendl Group: Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli and Frances Tiafoe. On Monday, in ANSA’s calendar, Alcaraz plays Tiafoe and Medvedev plays Cobolli. Zverev is a two-time Finals champion, in 2018 and 2021. Medvedev won in 2020. Cobolli, Fils, Tiafoe and Jodar are here for the first time.

ANSA also gives the earlier meetings. Alcaraz leads Tiafoe 2-1: the American won their first match, in 2021, the Spaniard at the US Open in 2022 and at Wimbledon in 2024. Medvedev leads Cobolli 2-1: both of their 2024 matches, plus the Italian’s win this year in Madrid. Against Alcaraz, Cobolli has one match, a loss at Roland Garros in 2023. Alcaraz wants a first trophy in Turin. The ATP writes that he reached the final last year, that this is his fourth appearance, and that he arrived with the titles in Paris, Vienna and Tokyo after coming back from injury at the US Open.

On Cobolli, Alcaraz told Sky, in ANSA’s report: if he qualified, it is because he deserves it; they grew up together; he is looking forward to playing him at home, in front of his supporters. He called him a very good person and a player who has shown his level all season.

Jannik Sinner is not in the draw. The ATP writes that he is missing because of an injury. ANSA caught him in Turin on Saturday, at sponsor appointments, at the No. 1 club dinner on the Inalpi court, and, with Paolo Maldini, at the Nike store. He said he has always felt good here, that it is his favourite indoor court, on hard, and that when he plays he wants to give everything, not only for himself but for the children and for a whole country. To young people he said not to spend too long on social media: better to meet for a coffee.

The photograph shows Piazza San Carlo in Turin, not the hall. The author is Riccardo Speziari, and the image is on Wikimedia Commons under a CC BY-SA 3.0 licence. It is not the Inalpi Arena, and it is not Sunday’s players.

Source consulted: Alle Atp Finals riflettori sui maestri, tutto pronto per lo show.