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Only a few days ahead of the season-ending climax of the men's tour in Turin, the Sinner and Alcaraz spectacle had already begun. Although the two rivals are engaged in a fight to decide the world number one position, talk spread that they were scheduled to train together. Sure enough, that afternoon they stepped onto the stadium court in unison and were greeted by an explosive reception from a large crowd.

An Exhibition Set That Gripped the Tennis World

The practice set that came next attracted comparable interest as plenty of games this year. Countless spectators logged on to see the action unfold, and highlights were quickly posted afterwards. The scores from practice sets are often confined to the training venue, but on this occasion the sporting community soon discovered that the Italian star had wrapped up with a triumphant set. They commemorated the moment with a photo that quickly went viral through social media.

"This is their tour currently. Even when Carlos endured a poor loss in his initial contest at the Paris Masters, the streak that has characterized this year's ATP season continued with Jannik's next triumph: on each occasion the two top players have participated at a tournament this season, either player has finished the week with the title."

The Question: Can Anyone Halt Their Dominance?

Following a long period of hype and projections about supremacy, these performances are reflective of two special players who have already established themselves as all-time greats at such an early stage. But this campaign has also reflected badly on the standard of the remaining players. Prior to the Turin event, the biggest inquiry is whether any athlete is genuinely equipped of halting the top two.

The Contenders

At the moment, their chances are dim. According to the world rankings, Alexander Zverev is the number three in the world. He also currently holds less than 50% as many ATP points as Alcaraz at the second spot. He remains one of the most accomplished competitors to have never won a big championship, but he has been outplayed by the leading duo in their key encounters and the disparity only looks to be increasing. Following utterly dominated by Sinner in the Australian Open, the German's year has been lackluster.

Taking into account he advanced to the last four of every major this season this year, the Serbian legend has shown that he is likely the next in line in the world. Theoretically, his prospects of beating the top two are higher over best of three sets and indoors than deep in the grand slam tournaments, but he is playing in the Greek tournament finale and he is yet to decide whether he will compete in the Finals. The five matches in his legs over the past week would undoubtedly be further detrimental to his hopes of winning in Italy.

Further questions exist across the field. Taylor Fritz has enjoyed an excellent year, embedding himself among the elite. His competitive toughness, steady progress and the well-rounded game he has developed complemented by his biggest weapon is praiseworthy but it is tough not to perceive him as a player who is eking out all of his ability, as opposed to a player with sufficient scope for advancement to bridge the gap to the leading pair.

New Faces and Established Names

In his debut in the season finale, the young American is the youngest of the six challengers and possibly the most interesting addition. On one hand, with his devastating delivery, comprehensive offensive style and fitness, he has huge upside. But there are also deficiencies in his skills, particularly his backhand and return of serve, that Sinner and Alcaraz have capitalized on without difficulty.

The Australian competitor has admirably reached the ATP Finals for a second instance in his professional life but his game is short on weaponry against the elite players. The last place in the draw will be settled on the weekend. If the Italian hopeful overcome Djokovic to win the Greek tournament, he would jump ahead of the red-hot Canadian star in the ATP race to become the eighth participant.

Key Missing Players

Equally significant as the players in Turin are the non-participants. The significant difficulties of three former top players, regular high-ranked athletes not very long ago, have failed to strengthen the chasing pack. The major physical issues to the British talent, in the middle of a breakthrough year, and the French prodigy, the immensely talented 21-year-old who seemed to be in the throes of a landmark season, have weakened the field of challengers. Not a single competitor has gotten near to stepping up.

The Final Verdict

Apart from Sinner and Alcaraz, the idea of securing this season-ending championship seems very remote. However, in a event featuring the finest athletes in the world, with the spotlight heavily weighing of the two favourites, all games is an moment for the challenger to demonstrate what they are able to achieve. The coming week will determine who, assuming one exists, is ready to make a statement.