Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka win prestigious award ahead of Alcaraz & Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner have been crowned ITF World Champions for 2025, with the two edging out rivals Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz for the prestigious honour.
Announced at the end of every tennis season, the ITF World Champion award is one of the most prestigious in the sport, with an array of tennis greats receiving recognition since the honour was first introduced back in 1978.
Current WTA world No 1 Sabalenka has been named as the ITF Women’s Singles World Champion for the second time, having previously been awarded the honour back in 2023.
It caps off a stellar year for the Belarusian, who was named as the WTA Tour Player of the Year earlier this week.
2025 was another impressive season for Sabalenka, who lifted her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, alongside triumphs at the Miami Open, Madrid Open, and Brisbane International.
The 27-year-old also reached a further five finals across 2025 and spent the entirety of the season as the world No 1, helping her see off the likes of Swiatek to receive ITF recognition.
Swiatek, who was named ITF World Champion in 2022 and 2024, finished 2025 ranked second in the world, in a year that was highlighted by triumphs at Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Open, and the Korea Open.
Sabalenka’s reign at No 1 was likely a factor in her winning the award this year, with consistency at the Grand Slams also important.
Tennis News
Australian Open prize money problem needs to be fixed for tournament to maintain status
Juan Carlos Ferrero makes surprise confession about Carlos Alcaraz split that speaks volumes
The ITF oversees all four majors away from the ATP and WTA Tours, and Sabalenka reached at least the semi-final of every Grand Slam tournament in 2025, winning in New York, reaching the Australian Open and French Open final, and the last four of Wimbledon.
Grand Slam consistency was also likely a key reason why Sinner beat Alcaraz to the ITF Men’s Singles World Champion title this year.
It was Alcaraz who won the most overall titles this year — eight, compared to Sinner’s six — and who finished 2025 as the ATP year-end No 1.
However, while both men won two Slams apiece, Sinner reached the final of all four major events in 2025, becoming just the fourth man to reach all four Grand Slam finals in the same season.
The Italian beat Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open and Alcaraz at Wimbledon, finishing runner-up to the Spaniard at the French Open and US Open.
It is the second straight year that Sinner has been crowned as the ITF World Champion, having been awarded the title following his impressive 2024 campaign twelve months ago.
Sabalenka is just the tenth woman to have been crowned ITF World Champion on multiple occasions, while Sinner is the ninth man to achieve that feat.
2025 ITF World Champions — Full list
Women’s Singles: Aryna Sabalenka
Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner
Women’s Doubles: Sara Errani & Jasmine Paolini
Men’s Doubles: Marcel Granollers & Horacio Zeballos
Women’s Wheelchair: Yui Kamiji
Men’s Wheelchair: Tokito Oda
Quad Wheelchair: Niels Vink
Junior Girls: Kristina Penickova
Junior Boys: Ivan Ivanov
