Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are avoiding each other in the first phase of the ATP Finals in Turin. The world number one and the number 3 in the rankings are not in the same group.
The South Tyrolean Sinner will be up against the Russian Daniil Medvedev (ATP 4), the American Taylor Fritz (ATP 6) and the Australian Alex de Minaur (ATP 8) in his group. The Spaniard Alcaraz will play against the German Alexander Zverev (ATP 2), the Norwegian Casper Ruud (ATP 7) and Medvedev's compatriot Andrei Rublev (ATP 9).
Medvedev and Zverev are the participants who have already won the final event, which normally features the best eight players of the year. The Russian triumphed four years ago, the German six and three years ago.
The big absentee from the top eight in the annual ranking is Novak Djokovic, currently ranked fifth in the world. The Serbian, who has to miss the tournament due to injury, has been the record winner since last year, when he defeated Sinner in the final, with seven tournament victories.