There is no doubt that Carlos Alcaraz had more pressure than usual during his latest match at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, because he knew that a victory over Lorenzo Musetti would guarantee him the mathematical certainty of ending the year at the top of the ATP rankings.
The Spanish ace has never hidden that this milestone was one of his priorities this season, having also benefited from the three-month ban that WADA inflicted on his huge rival Jannik Sinner between February and May. The 22-year-old from Murcia – who had not started 2025 in the best possible way – has found impressive continuity especially from the spring onwards, collecting eight titles and breaking his personal record of wins in a single season well in advance.
Some thought that Carlitos' certainties could falter after his premature elimination at the Paris Masters 1000, but he showed that he has also improved in indoor conditions and qualified for the semifinals in Turin as the first of his group.
Carlitos didn't fail
The six-time Grand Slam champion will return to action against Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second semi-final, with fans around the world hoping to witness a new chapter in the rivalry between him and Sinner in tomorrow's final.
At the end of the clash between the Spanish star and Musetti, former WTA star Laura Robson highlighted Alcaraz's mental toughness: “From the first point, you saw the intensity he had in his game, and his reaction at the end said it all. Obviously, he’s thinking about the year-end ranking, trying not to focus on it too much, knows he had to deliver, but not often do you see just an outpour of emotion from him after such a straightforward win, 6-4, 6-1.”
She also added: “The fact that Alcaraz is able to use that as an aggressive shot, meanwhile, Musetti was having to dip into the slice, going to the dropshot all too much. You wonder how different it could’ve been had his legs been a lot fresher. Given how tired he was going into the week as a whole, let alone today, it was always going to be a tough ask.”
