Carlos Alcaraz says finishing the 2025 season as the year-end world number one “means everything” after sealing top spot by reaching the knockout stages of the ATP Finals with three straight group wins.
The 22-year-old Spaniard had already secured a semi-final berth earlier on Thursday after Alex de Minaur defeated Taylor Frit.
Alcaraz produced a dominant display to overcome Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-1 and edge Jannik Sinner in the race for the number one ranking.
The victory also marked his 70th win of a standout season, making him the youngest player since Novak Djokovic in 2009 to reach that milestone.
By topping the Jimmy Connors Group, Alcaraz avoided a semi-final showdown with Sinner, who has already won the Bjorn Borg Group.
Sinner will face De Minaur in the last four, while Alcaraz will meet the winner of Alexander Zverev’s clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime as both top seeds aim for a blockbuster final to conclude their rivalry-dominated year.
“The year-end number one is always a goal,” said Alcaraz. “At the start of the year it felt far away, especially with Jannik winning almost everything.
“But in the last few tournaments we fought toe-to-toe, and finally I got it. It means everything.”
Alcaraz, who first finished a season as world number one in 2022, leads the ATP Tour with 70 match wins and a remarkable eight titles in 2025, including two Grand Slams.
He now hopes to crown his season by lifting the ATP Finals trophy for the first time.
Musetti, backed by a lively home crowd inside the packed Inalpi Arena, battled gamely despite fatigue from a heavy schedule.
He matched Alcaraz deep into the opening set before the Spaniard broke through in a gruelling 11-minute 10th game.
From there, Alcaraz tightened his grip, breaking twice in the second set to seal a composed victory.
In the day’s other match, De Minaur kept his tournament alive with a resilient straight-sets win over Fritz, admitting he had emerged from “a dark place” after a painful earlier defeat to Musetti.
The Australian, who had never previously won a match at the ATP Finals, reset mentally to earn a milestone victory and later learned that Alcaraz’s win had confirmed his place in the semi-finals.
