Best of 2024: Which Sinner-Alcaraz clash was the best ATP match of the year? | ATP Tour

Best of 2024

Best of 2024: Which Sinner-Alcaraz clash was the best ATP match of the year?

ATPtour.com looks back at the five best ATP Tour matches of 2024

November 30, 2024

As the 2024 season draws to a close, it's time to reflect on the historic battles and career-defining plays that will remain etched in fans' memories for years to come.

At the heart of the action were the Tour's standout players throughout the year: Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. As part of our annual season review series, ATPtour.com lists the best ATP Tour matches for 2024.

5) United Cup F, Zverev d. Hurkacz 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-4
Donating their country's colors can often ignite a player's best tennis. Just ask Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz, who produced a stunning clash in the final of this year's new United Cup.

Zverev, needing a win to keep Germany alive, bounced back from the brink of defeat to defeat Hurkacz and send the finalist to the mixed doubles rubber. Facing champion points at 4/6 in the second-tie break, Zverev unleashed a forehand pass that caught the outside edge of the sideline by millimeters. It marked a crucial moment in the game. He knocked back three more points to turn it on its head.

“I have not the foggiest idea [how I won],” said Zverev. “I saved a match point by hitting a ball that went too far down the line, so tennis goes like this sometimes. You win and you lose by millimeters and today I was lucky in a way.”

In a match decided by very good margins, it was Zverev who held his nerve to secure a crucial victory. The German would then return to the court with teammate Laura Siegemund to seal the title with another stunning victory, starting her 2024 year on a high note.

4) Hamburg F, Fils d. Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(1)

A title clash between the home favorite and one of the Tour's brightest prospects was always bound to produce drama, right? In the final in Hamburg, Zverev's more experience and vocal home support were not enough as Arthur Fils produced an impressive performance to defend his first ATP 500 title.

In a fiery battle, which lasted three-and-a-half hours, Fils had enough courage to try an armbar towards the break at 5-5, which electrified the German crowd under the closed roof. That crucial break point was one of 21 saves by the #NextGenATP superstar during the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, before he won a decisive break to win.

“When we closed the roof, I knew it was going to be a fight,” said Fils. “You have to fight until the last point, until the last ball. I think so [I’ve been] I've been training for this kind of time for a long time so I'm very happy to win it.”

The Phils' victory over No. 4 at the time in the PIF ATP Rankings – the highest of his career – marked the catalyst for a run of form at the ATP 500 level. Including his titles in Hamburg and Tokyo, the Frenchman won 13 matches in a row to win the ATP 500 Bonus Pool.

3) Monte-Carlo SF, Tsitsipas d. Sinner 6-4, 3-6, 6-4

When it comes to the Rolex Monte-Carlos Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas rarely puts a foot wrong. In this year's semi-final, the two-time Principality champion found the perfect way to record his first win over Top 3 opposition since 2022 when he outlasted Jannik Sinner in a top-level tournament.

Their two-hour, 40-minute match was defined by a tough exchange of baselines, which forced the end in moments of genius. Both Tsitsipas and Sinner fired 27 winners, but it was the first to lose four games in a row at 2-4 in the decider to complete a major comeback.

“It was the highest level of tennis I was able to play,” said Tsitsipas. “Jannik has been a very tough competitor and it has been evident throughout the year so far. He was consistent and I could see it today with his game.”

Tsitsipas would go on to defeat Casper Ruud in the championship match to win his third ATP Masters 1000 title, becoming only the fifth player to achieve this (after Nadal, Borg, Muster and Nastase).

2) Cincinnati SF, Sinner d. Zverev 7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(4)

Sinner was heading into the semifinals in Cincinnati with former champion Zverev having lost each of their previous four Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, but the Italian battled back to claim a thrilling victory.

In a pendulum-swinging, three-hour, seven-minute clash that featured rain in the first set, Sinner showed incredible resilience to get over the line. Zverev gave up a break lead in the first set and two break points before Sinner took the lead.

Despite Sinner's edge, little separated the two and the Germans battled the fading light in Cincinnati. Sinner summoned a power-play winner forehand to bring up two match points at the break, which he converted at the second attempt.

“Sometimes you have to play a little bit with gut feeling, and I think that was my strength today,” said Sinner, who went on to win his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title with his victory over Frances Tiafoe in the final. “[There were] some ups and downs, which are possible, especially when playing [for] more than three hours. It was a good game, I think for both of us.”

1) Beijing F, Alcaraz d. Sinner 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3)
As the rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Sinner has been full of surprises, the Beijing final was another testament to the quality of their duel. With a display of high-quality, devastating hitting combined with a good feel at the net, these two stars pushed themselves to their limits.