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Merely days prior to the spectacular conclusion of the tennis season in Turin, the Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner show had kicked off. While the two competitors are locked in battle to decide the year-end No 1 ranking, speculation circulated that they were scheduled to train together. True to form, that session they walked onto the stadium court side-by-side and were met with deafening roars from a significant crowd.

A Training Match That Gripped the Sporting World

The training match that came next garnered as much attention as plenty of games this season. Thousands of viewers watched live to see the action unfold, and key moments were quickly posted following the event. The scores from practice sets are often confined to the practice court, but on this occasion the sporting community was promptly informed that the Italian star had concluded the session with a triumphant set. They commemorated the moment with a snapshot that rapidly circulated through social media.

"They own the circuit now. Despite the fact that the Spaniard experienced a poor loss in his first game at the recent tournament, the pattern that has characterized this men's tennis year persisted with Jannik's next triumph: on each occasion the two top players have played at a competition this year, one of them has concluded the tournament with the title."

The Central Issue: Who Can Stop Them?

Subsequent to much anticipation of anticipation and predictions about dominance, these displays are indicative of two special players who have rapidly proven themselves as all-time greats at such a tender age. But this campaign has also exposed the weaknesses in the quality of the remaining players. Prior to the Turin event, the biggest inquiry is whether any competitor is truly able of defeating the dominant pair.

The Challengers

At the moment, their odds are dim. According to the official standings, Alexander Zverev is the third best player in the world. He also presently possesses less than 50% as many ranking points as the Spanish sensation at number two. He remains one of the most accomplished competitors to have never won a big championship, but he has been dominated by the leading duo in their key encounters and the difference only seems to be widening. After getting utterly dominated by the Italian in the Australian Open, the German's year has been disappointing.

Given he advanced to the last four of each slam event this year, the Serbian legend has shown that he is arguably the third strongest competitor in the world. In theory, his chances of beating the top two are higher over three-set matches and on indoor courts than in five-set battles, but he competes in the Athens final and he is has not confirmed if he will play in the Finals. The series of contests in his legs over the last seven days would certainly be an additional hindrance to his prospects for victory in Italy.

There are more doubts among the other players. The American star has experienced an outstanding season, embedding himself inside the top five. His competitive toughness, ongoing development and the well-rounded game he has constructed behind his biggest weapon is commendable but it is hard not see him as a player who is maximizing all of his ability, instead of a competitor with enough room for improvement to bridge the gap to the dominant duo.

Fresh Talent and Veteran Presence

In his first ATP Finals, Ben Shelton is the most junior of the remaining competitors and perhaps the biggest wildcard. On one hand, with his incredible power, all-court aggression and physical prowess, he has enormous potential. But there are also weaknesses in his play, notably his backhand side and return game, that Sinner and Alcaraz have capitalized on without difficulty.

Alex de Minaur has admirably reached the ATP Finals for a second time in his career but his playing style is short on weaponry against the elite players. The last place in the draw will be decided on the weekend. If Lorenzo Musetti defeat the Serbian to win the Athens ATP 250 event, he would leapfrog the in-form Canadian star in the qualification battle to become the eighth participant.

Significant Omissions

Similarly noteworthy as the competitors in Turin are the missing names. The significant difficulties of Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, consistent elite competitors not very long ago, have done little to bolster the chasing pack. The serious injuries to Jack Draper, in the middle of a impressive campaign, and the French prodigy, the immensely talented youngster who seemed to be in the process of a career-defining period, have diminished the group of contenders. Nobody else has made significant strides to elevating their game.

The Last Word

For anyone other than the top two, the idea of winning this Turin tournament seems very remote. However, in a event including the best players in the world, with the pressure firmly on the shoulders of the two favourites, all games is an moment for the competitor to display what they are capable of. The next few days will show who, should there be any, is ready to step up.