Carlos Alcaraz capped off a spectacular season by locking down the year-end world number one ranking for 2025 after powering into the knockout stages of the ATP Finals with three consecutive group-stage victories. The 22-year-old Spanish star delivered a commanding 6-4, 6-1 win over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, ensuring he topped the Jimmy Connors Group and cemented his place at the pinnacle of men’s tennis for the second time in his career.

Alcaraz had already guaranteed a semi-final place following Alex de Minaur’s earlier victory against Taylor Fritz, but the Spaniard remained determined to surpass rival Jannik Sinner in the race for the top spot. His emphatic performance against Musetti confirmed his dominance and gave him his 70th win of the season, making him the youngest player to reach that milestone since Novak Djokovic in 2009.

“It Means Everything”: Alcaraz Reflects on His Achievement

Alcaraz admitted that finishing the year as the world’s top-ranked player was one of his primary goals for 2025.

“It means the world to me. The year-end number one is always a goal,” Alcaraz said. “At the beginning of the season, I saw number one really far away, with Jannik winning almost every tournament. Then, in the last three or four tournaments, I was fighting toe-to-toe with him. Finally getting it means everything.”

The Spaniard previously achieved the year-end No. 1 ranking in 2022, becoming the first teenager in history to do so. His 2025 season has been equally impressive, featuring eight titles, including two Grand Slams, matching his total number of match losses.

Alcaraz will now aim to win the ATP Finals title for the first time, a prestigious trophy missing from his growing collection.

Alcaraz and Sinner on Course for Blockbuster Final

By topping his group, Alcaraz avoided an immediate semi-final clash with Sinner, who dominated the Bjorn Borg Group and secured his place in the last four ahead of Friday’s final round-robin matches. Sinner will face De Minaur in the semi-finals, while Alcaraz awaits the winner of the match between Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.

A potential Alcaraz–Sinner final would be the blockbuster showdown fans have been anticipating, as the two young stars have dictated the pace of the ATP Tour throughout 2025.

Musetti Battles Fatigue But Falls Short

Lorenzo Musetti, playing in his seventh match in nine days after an exhausting run to the Athens Open final, fought valiantly in front of a packed and partisan 12,000-strong crowd at the Inalpi Arena. The Italian pushed Alcaraz deep into the opening set, but the world number one broke through in a pivotal 11-minute 10th game.

Musetti briefly ignited hopes early in the second set after saving break points and creating two of his own. But Alcaraz’s relentless pressure soon proved overwhelming. The Spaniard broke to love for 3-1, fended off Musetti’s surge, and then closed out the match with clinical precision.

The defeat ended Musetti’s inspiring campaign but highlighted his resilience in one of the busiest stretches of his season.

De Minaur’s Emotional Turnaround Secures Semi-final Spot

Alex de Minaur completed a dramatic resurgence to claim the remaining semi-final slot from the Connors Group. The Australian said he had been in a “dark place” after losing to Musetti two days earlier, a match in which he squandered a 5-3 lead in the final set.

Needing a straight-sets win to stay alive, De Minaur delivered a spirited and composed performance to defeat Fritz 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. That victory, combined with Alcaraz’s win, propelled him into the last four.

“More than anything, I feel proud of my efforts,” De Minaur said. “I made peace with what happened and committed to giving everything. Whether it worked or not, I was going to leave it all out there.”

Before leaving the court, he wrote “finally” on the TV camera lens — a symbolic release after years of frustration, including 16 straight losses to top-10 players and five previous defeats at the ATP Finals.

British Doubles Stars Make Their Mark

In doubles action, world number one pairing Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool booked their place in the semi-finals by defeating Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 7-5. They will now face fellow Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski in an all-British semi-final showdown.

Elsewhere, Henry Patten and Finland’s Harri Heliovaara will attempt to secure their own spot in the knockout rounds when they meet Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic on Friday.