Alcaraz ends year as world number one

Carlos Alcaraz said securing the year-end world number one ranking "means everything" after he reached the knockout stages of the ATP Finals with three straight wins

Alcaraz was already assured of a semi-final place, after Alex de Minaur beat Taylor Fritz earlier on Thursday - but he would not be denied in his bid to edge rival Jannik Sinner in the race to be crowned the top-ranked men's player of 2025.

The 22-year-old Spaniard let out a huge roar as he achieved the feat by beating Italian ninth seed Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-1 - also ensuring he recorded 70 wins in a season for the first time in his career.

In topping the Jimmy Connors Group, Alcaraz has avoided a semi-final meeting with Sinner - who is already confirmed as winner of the Bjorn Borg Group before the final round of matches on Friday.

Sinner will play De Minaur in the last four, while Alcaraz awaits the winner of German Alexander Zverev and Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, as the world's top two aim to set up a tantalising final blockbuster showdown to conclude a year in which they have once again dominated the tour.

"It means the world to me, to be honest. The year-end number one is always a goal. At the beginning of the year I saw number one really far away, with Jannik winning almost every tournament he plays," said Alcaraz said

"Then in the last three, four tournaments of the year, [I was] fighting toe-to-toe with Jannik for this spot, and then finally I got it. For me, it means everything."

Alcaraz will end the year top of the rankings for the second time, having become the first teenager to achieve that feat in 2022. In addition to his tour-leading 70 wins, Alcaraz has also achieved an unmatched eight titles in 2025 - including two Grand Slams - equal to his total number of losses. Now he will seek to complete another stunning season by winning the ATP Finals for the first time.

Musetti was backed by a passionate home support inside a packed 12,000-capacity Inalpi Arena, as he sought to build on the momentum of his dramatic victory over De Minaur on Tuesday.

The Italian, battling fatigue in his seventh match in nine days following his run to the Athens Open final, matched Alcaraz deep into the opening set - but his admirable resistance was eventually ended in an absorbing 11-minute 10th game.

Although Musetti continued to dig in, withstanding a break point in his opening service game of set two, his relentless opponent continued to apply pressure and broke to love for a 3-1 lead. That sparked Alcaraz's dash to the finish line, but only after a free-hitting Musetti created his first two break points to re-energise the crowd.

That excitement was short-lived as Alcaraz fired back with four consecutive points, and there would be no recovery for a fading Musetti, who was broken again before Alcaraz served out victory to achieve the first of his goals in northern Italy.