World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz admitted that Jannik Sinner always comes back stronger after he suffered a straight set loss against Nitto ATP Finals at Turin on Sunday. The Italian registered a 7-6, 7-5 win against the Spaniard to defend his title in his country.

Alcaraz was chasing his maiden Nitto ATP Finals triumph, but he could not cross the last hurdle against his rival. The Spaniard had a chance to take the opening set, but Sinner served a 117 mph second serve to save set point.

“I thought at the beginning of the match that I could beat him, that I could compete against him here,” Alcaraz said of Sinner, who has now won his past 31 indoor matches. “It didn’t surprise [me] at all that I was really close. It was just about the tennis. I’m just really happy with the performance that I did today. I’m pretty sure that it’s going to keep growing, my level on indoor courts.

“I felt the improvements of Jannik. I said many times, I think a player like him, he always comes back stronger from the losses. He always learn from the losses. Once again, he has shown everybody that he did it. Especially in the serves, putting so much pressure on you. It’s really difficult to play against him.”

Alcaraz had beaten Sinner in the US Open final in September but the latter has bounced strongly since then. The Italian also won the Paris Masters after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final.

Alcaraz revealed he felt something in his hamstring and it remained at the back of his mind, which hampered him a bit mentally.

“I felt something in my hamstring after trying to catch one serve,” Alcaraz said. “I could say that it didn’t affect me too much because I could run well, I could go to the balls well. [There were] thoughts about how [it] is going to be if I do crazy things that I’m used to doing, how is it going to be. Those thoughts were in my mind sometimes. But I could play well.”

With this win, Sinner now has a 6-10, W-L record against Alcaraz.