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Only a few days prior to the spectacular conclusion of the men's tour in the Italian city of Turin, the Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner show had kicked off. Even though the two competitors are competing intensely to decide the top spot for the season, rumours swirled that they were arranged to practice with each other. Sure enough, that session they stepped onto the main court together and were welcomed by deafening roars from a sizable crowd.

A Training Match That Fascinated the Tennis World

The practice set that followed drew similar focus as many matches this season. Thousands of viewers watched live to view the broadcast, and highlights were promptly shared later. The scores from training matches usually do not leave the practice court, but on this instance the sporting community was promptly informed that the Italian star had concluded the session with a triumphant set. They celebrated the event with a snapshot that rapidly circulated across the internet.

"This is their tour at present. Although the Spaniard experienced a disappointing result in his first game at the recent tournament, the trend that has defined this year's ATP season persisted with the Italian's following win: whenever Alcaraz and Sinner have played at a competition this season, either player has finished the week with the trophy."

The Question: Who Can Stop Them?

After years of hype and projections about control, these performances are indicative of two special players who have quickly made their mark as historic champions at such young ages. But this year has also highlighted the shortcomings of the quality of the remaining players. Prior to the Turin event, the primary dilemma is whether any player is truly able of defeating the dominant pair.

The Contenders

At the moment, their odds are dim. According to the world rankings, the German star is the number three in the world. He also currently holds fewer than half as many tour points as Alcaraz at No 2. He remains one of the most successful players to have never won a big championship, but he has been dominated by Sinner and Alcaraz in their most significant matches and the difference only looks to be increasing. Since being totally overwhelmed by Sinner in the first major of the year, Zverev's season has been unimpressive.

Taking into account he reached the last four of each slam event this season, Novak Djokovic has proven that he is probably the next in line in the world. In theory, his chances of overcoming the top two are greater over best of three sets and indoors than in five-set battles, but he is involved in the Athens final and he is still undecided whether he will play in Turin. The series of contests in his system over the recent days would certainly be further detrimental to his prospects for victory in Turin.

There are more doubts among the other players. Taylor Fritz has enjoyed an excellent year, establishing himself inside the top five. His psychological fortitude, steady progress and the well-rounded game he has built complemented by his biggest weapon is commendable but it is difficult to avoid viewing him as a player who is squeezing out all of his capability, rather than a competitor with enough room for advancement to close the distance to the top two.

Fresh Talent and Veteran Presence

In his first ATP Finals, Ben Shelton is the youngest of the six challengers and maybe the biggest wildcard. On one hand, with his incredible power, comprehensive offensive style and physical prowess, he has great promise. But there are also weaknesses in his play, especially his backhand side and ability to handle serves, that the leading duo have taken advantage of effortlessly.

The Australian competitor has impressively made the season-ending tournament for a second time in his career but his playing style is underpowered against the very best. The last place in the lineup will be decided on Saturday. If Lorenzo Musetti beat Djokovic to win the Greek tournament, he would jump ahead of the high-performing Canadian star in the points race to become the final automatic qualifier.

Key Missing Players

Just as notable as the competitors in the Finals are the non-participants. The significant difficulties of Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev, consistent elite competitors in the recent past, have failed to strengthen the field. The serious injuries to Jack Draper, in the midst of a breakthrough year, and Arthur Fils, the extremely skilled 21-year-old who seemed to be in the throes of a breakthrough year, have weakened the group of contenders. Nobody else has made significant strides to stepping up.

The Ultimate Conclusion

For anyone other than the dominant pair, the prospect of securing this year's ATP Finals seems highly unlikely. Nevertheless, in a tournament showcasing the top competitors in the world, with the expectations firmly on the shoulders of the leading contenders, every match is an chance for the competitor to display what they are capable of. The tournament duration will reveal which player, if anyone at all, is prepared to make a statement.