Alcaraz enters ATP Finals semi-finals, wins world number one

(Dan Tri) - Carlos Alcaraz defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 in the early morning of November 14. This victory helped the 22-year-old Spanish tennis player return to the world number one position at the end of the year and win a ticket to the semi-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz dashed the hopes of a cheering crowd in Turin in the early hours of November 14 when he claimed a crucial victory at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals. The 22-year-old Spaniard defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 at the Inalpi Arena (Turin, Italy) in the final match of the group stage.

The win secured Alcaraz his first number one title of the year since 2022, and also sealed a perfect 3-0 group stage record in the Jimmy Connors group. The result also saw Alex de Minaur, who beat Taylor Fritz earlier, advance to the semi-finals as group runners-up.

Alcaraz has won a ticket to the semi-finals of the ATP Finals 2025 (Photo: Getty).

“This match was very important for me as I was fighting for the number one position at the end of the year. I was a little nervous at the beginning of the match and tried to handle the pressure as best I could. I am happy with my performance and finishing the year as number one,” Alcaraz said after the match, which improved his head-to-head record against Musetti to 7-1.

Topping the group also opens up the possibility of a reunion with Jannik Sinner in the final, as the home player has secured a place at the top of the group with Bjorn Borg.

Alcaraz maintained the high-risk tactics that have defined his journey in this year’s tournament. Despite committing 21 unforced errors, he hit 26 winners, far exceeding Musetti’s eight, to close out the match after 83 minutes.

“The year-end number one position is very important, but the tournament itself is also a big goal for me. I am excited to be in the semi-finals and hopefully in the final. Part of the work is done, but I am very ready for the next stage,” added Alcaraz.

Aclaraz played solidly against Musetti (Photo: Getty).

In fact, Alcaraz's pressure was halved when he booked his ticket before the match with Musetti, thanks to De Minaur's win over Fritz. That created a scenario where, despite losing to Mussetti, Alcaraz still had a chance to decide for himself the world number one position (most likely against Sinner in the semi-finals).

Musetti needed a win to advance, the host nation's player had explosive moments in the first set with a series of decisive net shots. However, according to statistics, the ATP No. 9 player could not maintain the tempo against long balls and missed all the break opportunities.

“I thought I started well, served hard, that was the only chance to deal with Carlos's style of play. He served well, kept me moving and played very aggressively. At the end of the match, my stamina was a big problem for me. All the praise is due to Carlos. He always surprises me. Hopefully one day I will repay this debt,” Musetti said.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/alcaraz-vao-ban-ket-atp-finals-gianh-ngoi-so-mot-the-gioi-20251114071357375.htm