The post-mortem on a thrilling tennis season is now underway and it is no surprise to see the names of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz either at the top or near the top of a host of key ATP Tour statistics.
Sinner’s numbers look especially impressive as he is listed as the leader in the ATP’s statistics for serving, returing and dealing with pressure points, yet dig beneath the surface of the statistic and they serve up some interesting conclusions.
After losing against Alcaraz in the US Open final, Sinner suggested he needed to make big improvements on his serve to compete with his biggest rival, but the statistics suggest he is already in a league of his own on that shot.
Sinner topped the list for first points won on the ATP Tour this year, with America’s Taylor Fritz second on that list and his compatriot Reilly Opelka third on that list.
The Italian also topped the list for second serve points won, with Australia’s Alex de Minaur in second place and Alcaraz in third on that list.
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Sinner won an impressive 92 per-cent of his service games this year to top that list, with Alcaraz down in sixth on that list, with that most surprising serving statistic from 2025 coming from Alcaraz.
The Spaniard is down in 26th place for first serve points won and that is clearly an area he can improve upon.
Alcaraz tops the ATP stats for percentage of returning points won at 35 per-cent, while Sinner leads the second serve return points won at an impressive 57.8 per-cent in a list that sees Alcaraz in third place with 54 per-cent.
They are numbers that are setting the benchmark for the rest to follow, with Sinner looking back on his achievements in a year that included a three month ban for a doping offence with pride.
“Honestly, I don’t want to compare [years]. It’s an amazing season,” reflected Sinner. “Last year has been an amazing season. This year making four Grand Slam finals, coming here, winning here, having this big streak in end of the year, it’s amazing.
“But mostly I feel I am a better player than last year, I think this is the most important. It’s all part of the process. I always say and believe that if you keep working and trying to be a better player, the results, they’re going to come. This year it was like this.
“Many, many wins, and not many losses. All the losses I had, I tried to see the positive thing and trying to evolve me as a player. I feel like or I felt like this happened in a very good way. I’m extremely happy with the season.”
Alcaraz is already looking ahead to 2026, as he is looking to win the Australian Open for the first time and join the elite list of players who have won all four of the Grand Slam titles.