Carlos Alcaraz reclaimed his place at the summit of men’s tennis on Thursday, sealing the ATP Year-End World No. 1 ranking for 2025 after a commanding 6–4, 6–1 victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti at the Nitto ATP Finals. The win capped a flawless 3–0 sweep of the Jimmy Connors Group and ensured the 22-year-old Spaniard will finish the season as the sport’s top player for the second time in his young career.
Alcaraz entered the Finals in a tight points race with rival Jannik Sinner, who dominated the early part of the season and arrived in Turin as the favourite to end the year on top. But Alcaraz surged over the closing months, lifting eight titles- including Roland Garros and the US Open- to overhaul the Italian and reassert his position as the sport’s standard-bearer.
“It means the world to me, to be honest. The year-end number one is always a goal,” Alcaraz said. “At the beginning of the year I saw number one really far away, with Jannik winning almost every tournament he plays. But in the last stretch of the season, I fought toe-to-toe with him for this spot, and finally I got it.”
Dominance in Turin
Against Musetti, Alcaraz absorbed the full force of a partisan Turin crowd but remained unfazed, unleashing 26 winners and dictating play with fearless aggression. Musetti produced brilliant moments- particularly in the opening set- but struggled to sustain the level needed to trouble the top seed and failed to convert two crucial break points. Alcaraz closed the match in just 83 minutes.
The win not only locked up his No. 1 ranking but also propelled Alex de Minaur into the semifinals, after the Australian earlier defeated Taylor Fritz.
A Historic Season
Alcaraz’s season stands as the most complete of his career. His 70 victories lead the ATP Tour, and with two major titles, three Masters 1000 trophies, and three ATP 500 crowns, he has compiled an unmatched résumé in 2025. His Roland Garros triumph- where he saved three championship points in a five-hour, 29-minute epic against Sinner- has already entered tennis lore.
He becomes just the second active playe- after Novak Djokovic- to secure multiple year-end No. 1 finishes. ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi praised the achievement, calling it “an exceptional testament to his talent, work ethic, and competitive spirit.”
Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz On Jannik Sinner: “I Never Get Tired Of Seeing Him”
Path Toward the Title
By topping the Jimmy Connors Group, Alcaraz avoids a semifinal clash with Sinner, who dominated the Bjorn Borg Group and will face de Minaur in the last four. Alcaraz awaits the winner of Alexander Zverev vs. Félix Auger-Aliassime, as fans anticipate a possible blockbuster final between the world’s top two players.
Alcaraz, however, insists the job is not done.
“Ending the year as No. 1 was really important, but this tournament is also really important for me,” he said. “I’m excited about qualifying for the semifinals and hopefully getting to the final. Part of the job is done, but I’m excited to keep going.”
Now two victories away from lifting the prestigious ATP Finals trophy for the first time, Alcaraz enters the weekend in Turin not only as the sport’s brightest force-but as its undisputed No. 1.
