Guaranteed to finish the season No. 1 in the world thanks to his qualification for the semi-finals of the Masters, Carlos Alcaraz confided his joy at achieving this accomplishment for the second time in his career.
The duel between Jannik Sinner and Carlos is likely to keep us in suspense for many years to come, and this season, it was the 22-year-old Spaniard who got the better of the 24-year-old Italian. At least from an ATP ranking perspective. By beating Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday at the Turin Masters, the native of Murcia ensured he finished the season world No. 1 for the second time in his career, after 2022.
Over the last two years, he had left this status to Novak Djokovic then Jannik Sinner, but 2025 marks his return to the throne, thanks in part to the three-month suspension of his Italian rival, let’s not forget. This year, Carlos Alcaraz won two Grand Slam tournaments, three Masters 1000s and three ATP 500s (two Grand Slams, one Masters 1000 and two ATP 500s for Sinner).
Alcaraz: “Since the middle of the season, I have set myself this goal”
A time quite far behind the Italian and even world number 3 until mid-April (behind Zverev), the Spaniard had a string of successes, finally becoming world number 1 again at the end of the year. And he is delighted: “Honestly, it means a lot to me,” he confided at a press conference. Being world number one at the end of the year is always a goal. At the start of the year, I saw first place as a long, long way away, with Jannik winning almost every tournament he entered. But since the middle of the season, I set this goal for myself because I thought it was possible. I was fortunate to play excellent tennis in many consecutive tournaments to give me a chance to compete with Jannik for first place. Then, in the last three or four tournaments of the year, I fought with Jannik for this place and finally managed to get it. For me, that means everything. »
Alcaraz joins Borg, Edberg and Hewitt
ATP President Andrea Gaudenzi congratulated him: “Finishing the season number one in the world is an incredible feat, achieved only by 19 players in more than 50 years of history. Doing it twice before the age of 22 makes it even more exceptional. This is a testament not only to Carlos’ exceptional talent, but also to his insatiable thirst for progress and his determination to compete with the best. He can be immensely proud of his journey, and we can’t wait to see him continue to inspire fans around the world. »
With two seasons finished in first place in the world, Carlos Alcaraz is doing as well as Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg and Lleyton Hewitt. Next up: the four crowns of John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl. And why not one day the eight of Novak Djokovic, record holder in this area?
