Carlos Alcaraz has missed out on being named the 2025 ITF World Champion despite finishing the season as year-end No. 1 for the second time in his young career. Instead, Jannik Sinner picked up the award for the second year running. Both men lifted two Grand Slam trophies this year, but Alcaraz won eight titles in total and returned to the top of the rankings, while Sinner lifted six titles this year.
But the Italian was chosen as the men’s singles recipient of the ITF World Champion award instead of his rival. Announcing the news on Wednesday, the ITF said: “Sinner reached the final at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2025, defeating Alexander Zverev to retain his title at the Australian Open and defeating defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to win his first Wimbledon title.
“He fell to Alcaraz in the finals at both Roland Garros and the US Open, the former match widely considered to be among the best matches of all-time. He ended the season strongly with further titles at Beijing, Vienna, Paris and the ATP Finals.”
Sinner blew three championship points in that thrilling French Open final, which saw Alcaraz come back to win in five sets and retain his title. The Italian got revenge a few weeks later at the All England Club, where he ended Alcaraz’s reign in the championship match.
The young rivals faced each other six times in total this year, with Alcaraz winning four of the matches. One came via retirement in the Cincinnati Open final, when Sinner fell unwell after just 23 minutes.
After splitting the four Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz came out on top in the battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking at the end of the season. But Sinner beat him in their last match of the year, winning the final of the ATP Finals 7-6(4) 7-5.
Aryna Sabalenka was also named the ITF World Champion in women’s singles for the second time in her career, first achieving the feat in 2023. “Sabalenka was ranked as world No. 1 throughout 2025, winning the title at the US Open (her fourth Grand Slam tournament victory), finishing runner-up at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros and reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon,” the ITF said.
“She also won titles in Brisbane, Miami and Madrid and reached a total of nine finals this season. She led the WTA Tour for most titles won, most matches won and most finals reached in 2025.”
Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini were named the ITF World Champions in women’s doubles for the second straight year, and Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos won in men’s doubles. Yui Kamiji was recognised in women’s wheelchair singles, Tokito Oda in men’s wheelchair singles, and Niels Vink in quad wheelchair singles.
Kristina Penickova and Ivan Ivanov are the junior girls’ and boys’ ITF World Champions respectively.
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