Carlos Alcaraz secures Year-end No. 1 spot with win that dumps Lorenzo Musetti out of the Nitto ATP Finals; Alex de Minaur also qualifies for semis

Carlos Alcaraz secured the Year-End No. 1 spot for the second time in his career with a dominant win that ended the hopes of home favourite Lorenzo Musetti at the Nitto ATP Finals.

The Spaniard had already qualified for the semi-finals on the back of Alex de Minaur’s victory over Taylor Fritz but with first place for 2025 on the line he swept to a 6-4 6-1 success in one hour and 23 minutes.

It means Alcaraz secures a 70th win of the year and sees him finish first in Jimmy Connors Group, with De Minaur also progressing in second place. The 2024 runner-up Fritz and Musetti bow out.

Speaking on court following the victory, Alcaraz said: "I think I got the semi-final spot before stepping on to court which was great to be honest, but for me, the match was really important to me; playing for the [year-end} No. 1.

"It wasn’t easy at the beginning with the nerves. I had to be focused and tried to handle that pressure the best I could. I’m just really happy with the match, the level I played today, and to be able to end the year as world No. 1."

Asked if securing the year-end No. 1 before the last four was a weight off his shoulders, he added: "Probably.

"It was a really important goal for me. Obviously the tournament is really important for me [too].

"[I'm] excited to qualify for the semi final and give myself a chance to play another semi final here - and hopefully get into the final.

"We will see, but part of the job is done – the rest of the job is still going."

Both players were well aware of what was at stake heading into the night session in Turin with the home crowd desperate to aid the Italian underdog in his win-or-bust mission.

A keenly contested, serve-dominated affair ensued with Alcaraz eventually making the scoreboard pressure tell as he broke at 5-4 on his second set point to seize a pulsating 45-minute opener.

The late disappointment seemed to knock the life out of Musetti’s game and Alcaraz earned his reward for incessant probing by breaking to love before saving two break back points to consolidate for a 4-1 lead.

The Italian’s resistance was now broken and after bagging the insurance, Alcaraz served out on his third match point to achieve his target.

Alcaraz fires a forehand on the run just wide to give himself work to do at 15-15.

Musetti doesn’t have any belief left so it’s all about the Spaniard’s focus from here.

The Italian swings freely and it spells danger as he catches one of those scorching one-handed backhands to rush an error into the net for 15-30.

A brutal 1-2 forehand punch back into the backhand wing takes Alcaraz to Pulp (30-30) and Musetti drags wide off a drops-hot pick-up to give Carlitos match point.

The top seed has a rush of blood to the head with an over-zealous forehand and then leaves a miscued return on his second match point - but it lands in!

It's third time lucky, however, as he slams down a huge wide serve, making it three wins from three so far this week to secure the year-end No.1 spot heading into the last four.

Musetti winces, shakes his head and offers a tired frown to go along with the groans of the crowd as he slices tamely into the net to offer up two more break points.

It’s even worse a moment late as he sizzles a half-hearted backhand into the tramlines to give Alcaraz the insurance break.

The top seed will now serve for the match.

The crowd re-engage as Lorenzo counter punches the opening point on the Alcaraz serve.

The Spaniard responds with a serve and volley but is given more to think about when Musetti unleashes a rocket forehand winner up the line to press at 15-30.

The noise is almost deafening as Lorenzo tracks down a high bouncing volley to hammer away a crosscourt winner and earn two break back points.

Alcaraz saves one with a blistering 1-2 forehand punch from the forecourt and then deploys an exceptional body serve to make deuce.

The top seed doesn’t look back from there as a rocket first serve and a loose Musetti forehand see him consolidate via a long and winding road.

Alcaraz will not let up.

The Spaniard unleashes a barrage of venomous strikes off both wings and finishes off a lovely point with an almost effortless stun volley.

Musetti does not look like the same player now and a tame dropper into the net offers up triple break point.

Carlitos only needs one as a forehand scrapes the back edge of the baseline, forcing Musetti to drill long on the back foot and hand over his serve all too easily.

Alcaraz cannons down an ace, a body serve and a short-angled plus-one forehand en route to a very comfortable hold to 15 to keep his nose in front early doors in the second stanza.

Alcaraz can’t quite make it happen from 15-30 with Musetti still recovering from the late disappointment of that opener.

It’s an important game for the Italian but he drills a forehand long on game point to give Carlitos another half chance at deuce.

The top seed settles into the task and lures a shaky backhand long from the home favourite to earn break point.

Lorenzo comes up clutch on serve to wipe it out and earns another game point when Alcaraz slices tamely into the net. Another thumping wide serve seals the deal and the Italian heaves himself on to the board to avoid an early disaster in the second.

Alcaraz can see that year-end world No.1 spot on his horizon now and he’s really trying to make that momentum tell.

A rasping crosscourt forehand winner seals a love hold and he makes a real statement at the start of Set 2.

Musetti is dismayed to see a forehand clip the tape and fly off the island.

He responds with a wide ace to move 40-15 up, but Alcaraz keeps the pressure on with a lightning bolt of a return before charging on to a high bouncing stretch volley to bunt away a backhand winner.

 The Spaniard ups the ante further as he jumps all over a second serve at deuce to despatch a crosscourt return winner and snare set point.

The top seed has it on his racquet when he rampages on to a half volley but blasts his forehand pass into the net.

Musetti is made to hang about around deuce but wins one of the points of the match to breech finally some insane Carlos defence with a deep backhand volley.

Back comes Alcaraz with a supreme, low stun volley and he earns a second set point when Musetti shanks a forehand way off the island.  

The Spaniard deploys a wonderful lob that Lorenzo acrobatically slaps back into play off the overhead backhand, but he then drills a forehand just wide and comes up just shy in a pulsating 45-minute opener.

Too good.

Alcaraz shrugs off a weak backhand into the net that has the Italian’s supporters rejoicing at 15-15 and executes a smart, wide slice serve to regain the initiative.

The first serve does most of the damage from there as he applies the scoreboard squeeze with yet another hold to 15.

Musetti slaps a scorching wide ace down to the delight of the home crowd and the cheers continue when Alcaraz dumps a make-able forehand into the net.

The Spaniard’s travails on the return continue when he gins a backhand long and it’s a routine love hold for Lorenzo to pull him level once more.

Musetti bullies Alcaraz with some relentless big-hitting at 30-0 down and it seems to unnerve the Spaniard slightly as he cannons a forehand way long to feel some heat at Pulp (30-30).

The Italian is then grimacing when he miscues on an important point and Alcaraz pummels an inside-in plus-one forehand winner before barking ‘Vamos’ to show just how eager he was to avoid any further stress in that game.

Alcaraz shakes his head in frustration as he follows a return long with a drop shot that barely makes the net.

The cushion Musetti allows to be bold with a fizzing second serve and he bags his own clean hold when Alcaraz compounds a poor return game by sizzling a forehand just beyond the baseline.

Alcaraz shows such deftness of touch as he caresses a beauty of a crosscourt dropper that even has the pro-Italian crowd smiling in approval.

The top seed slams away a smash and then outlasts Musetti in a hard-hitting baseline exchange to pocket the clean hold.  

It’s all Alcaraz early on as he lands a rasping crosscourt return and then follows suit with an even better forehand winner.

Musetti responds with a stonking backhand down the line that helps him to Pulp (30-30).

Alcaraz looks in charge in the next exchange but can’t keep the lob on the island after bringing Lorenzo forward with a dropper.

The Spaniard presses to deuce with a too-hot-to-handle crosscourt backhand, but Musetti comes up clutch on the first serve to blast his way out of trouble.

Alcaraz does well to reach a short slice that clips the top of the tape and eventually lures a backhand lob way long from the Italian.

It’s a key point that takes him to 40-15 and a hefty serve completes the job.

Musetti comes up second best in an acute-angled drop-shot off (if that even exists) but then lands a trio of huge serves to do all of the heavy lifting in a routine game to 15 to ease on to the board.

Alcaraz chalks up the first point with a rasping first serve but the crowd erupt on the next one as the Italian sizzles a majestic backhand return winner down the line.

Carlitos duly responds with two more thumping serves sandwiching a bullet 1-2 forehand punch to seal a hold to 15 to open.

Alcaraz will serve first.

The players have arrived on court for what is arguably the most-anticipated clash of the week so far given the circumstances.

It's fair to say there is a real buzz in the air in Turin.