Alex de Minaur fell to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2, as the Italian punched his ticket to the championship match in Turin for the third straight year. The world No. 2 had to grind through a tight, 66-minute opening set against a determined De Minaur, but once he found his rhythm, he completely took over the second set. Interestingly, after sealing the win, Sinner was asked in his post-match presser if his family would be in the stands for the final. That’s when the 24-year-old delivered a perfectly timed joke.

Just a few hours ago, veteran journalist Giovanni Pelazzo shared Sinner’s lighthearted answer on X. According to his post, “My brother Mark is here, while I don’t think Mom and Dad will come. They have some things to do at home… apparently that’s more important!” said Jannik Sinner and laughed. So while his older brother Mark made the trip, it looks like his parents, Johann and Siglinde, might sit this one out. Why, you ask?

Let’s not forget, Jannik Sinner has always said his family is “very simple,” and that’s why his parents often miss his matches. They run a ski lodge in the Dolomites and like to stay close to his grandparents, so travelling isn’t always easy. Still, he’s been clear about how much their support means, saying he feels it “whether they are in the stands or watching on TV.”

And of course, they were there for some of his biggest moments, like his ATP Finals triumph in 2024 and his emotional Wimbledon win in 2025. Now, Jannik Sinner also had some superstitions attached to his mom’s presence in the stands, which he dismissed later as just unfounded belief.

Anyway, on court this week, the 4 times Grand Slam winner has looked untouchable. Moreover, with the win, he’s stretched his indoor hard-court winning streak to 30 matches and hasn’t dropped a set at the ATP Finals since losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 championship match. Even more impressively, he hasn’t surrendered a single service game at this year’s event. Now, after his latest win, he’s set to face either world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime in Sunday’s final as he tries to become only the fourth man this century to defend the title, joining Lleyton Hewitt, Roger Federer, and Djokovic.

Speaking courtside, Sinner kept things straightforward. “I’m very happy. This is the last event of the year, so it’s great to finish this way,” he said. He admitted the start was anything but smooth: “It was a very tough match, especially the beginning of the first set.”

But he also pointed out the shift that changed everything in the second set: “I tried to be aggressive, which worked well.” So what’s really driving this level of dominance, you ask?

Jannik Sinner’s serve makeover sparks a new level of dominance

In his on-court interview, Jannik Sinner broke down the evolution of his serve in simple terms. “I felt like last year, at the end of the season, I was serving much better than throughout the year,” he said. “And this year has been similar.”

He further went on to explain that the goal now is consistency. “We will work a lot in the pre-season to be ready for next season,” he said. “Hopefully I can serve like this throughout the season, making the serve as stable as possible.” Sinner also noted how much indoor conditions boost his confidence. “Serving indoors… gives you a huge hand,” he added. More than anything, he sounded proud of the progress: “I’m very happy about the work we are doing… tomorrow is the last match of this season for me, so I’m very happy to finish with a final.”

Interestingly, Jannik Sinner’s transformation on serve didn’t happen by luck, as it was the result of a deliberate reset. After feeling stuck, he made a bold move in 2022 by restructuring his coaching team, bringing in Simone Vagnozzi and later Darren Cahill with one clear goal: to build a world No. 1-level game. Together, they zeroed in on adding tactical variety and fixing lingering weaknesses.

A major focus became revamping his serve. The team experimented with having Sinner bring his feet together before launching into his motion, a tweak designed to generate more height and power. That change, combined with targeted strength training, has paid off in a massive way. He’s now winning free points, firing more service winners, and controlling rallies from the very first strike.

That said, do you think Sinner’s revamped serve is now the most dangerous weapon on the ATP Tour? And most importantly, can Jannik Sinner defend his ATP Finals crown, or will Alcaraz or Auger-Aliassime stop his incredible run? What do you think?