From Grand Slams to Masters, who will be the first to cross the finish line as the Golden Master between Alcaraz and Sinner?

This season's Masters events are over, and aside from Draper, Menchik, Ruud, Vacherot, and Shelton who claimed new Masters titles, the other four championships were shared by Alcaraz and Sinner.

In the upcoming season, with each missing one Grand Slam title, these two are bound to fiercely compete in the Grand Slam domain, and they also appear to be battling intensely on the track to claim the "Golden Master" title.

Among the nine Masters tournaments, Alcaraz has won six so far; after securing titles in Monte Carlo and Rome this year, he has collected three clay Masters trophies. Sinner has claimed five titles, all on hard courts, including sweeping the four Masters events in the latter half of the year.

By reviewing their best performances in these nine Masters events, we might be able to predict who will first, or if anyone can, be crowned the "Golden Master."

Alcaraz’s best Masters results summarized:

Indian Wells: Champion

Miami: Champion

Monte Carlo: Champion

Madrid: Champion

Rome: Champion

Toronto/Montreal: Quarterfinals

Cincinnati: Champion

Shanghai: Quarterfinals

Paris: Quarterfinals

So far, Alcaraz’s best Masters results are at Indian Wells and Madrid, where he has already secured two titles. Compared to the second half of the season, his first half was outstanding with consistent top form. In the four hard court Masters in the latter half, his best result was reaching the final in Cincinnati, which ended with Sinner’s withdrawal this year.

Alcaraz’s playing style demands a lot physically, which might explain why he had to pause at the end of the season. Regardless, having already won three Masters titles this year, he remains a promising prospect for the future.

Sinner’s best Masters results summarized:

Indian Wells: Semifinals

Miami: Champion

Monte Carlo: Semifinals

Madrid: Quarterfinals

Rome: Runner-up

Toronto/Montreal: Champion

Cincinnati: Champion

Shanghai: Champion

Paris: Champion

Compared to Alcaraz, Sinner had a stellar second half of the season, considering he first won a Masters title at the Canadian Masters the year before last. By that measure, the Italian has been quick to accumulate Masters trophies. If Alcaraz hadn’t won three titles this year, Sinner might have been the clear leader. Overall, except for Madrid where he only reached the quarterfinals, he has made it to at least the semifinals in all other events.

Given Sinner’s current hard court strength, he is certainly a top contender for the Indian Wells Masters next year. If he wins there, he would only be missing a clay Masters title. For someone who reached the French Open final for the first time this year, that doesn’t seem too difficult.

Which of these two prodigies will advance further and cross the finish line first? Let’s wait and see!(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Chengqiya)