Carlos Alcaraz finally reaps his reward. After ten grueling months on tour, collecting eight titles, including two Grand Slams and three Masters 1000s, he stands tall at the top of the game. The Spaniard finishes as the year-end World No. 1 after defeating Lorenzo Musetti to move to 3-0 in round-robin play at the season finale. It’s his second time achieving the honor, after 2022, but this one feels harder earned. The road was demanding, and as he lifted the trophy, all he had left were heartfelt words.

At the Inalpi Arena in Turin, home of the ATP Finals, Carlos accepted his ATP Year-End No. 1 trophy on Friday afternoon. His emotions surfaced during his speech as he shared, “I can’t thank enough, you know? To the people, we were traveling since the 1st of January until the end of November. New places, new countries, new stages, and the people are always the same, with great energy. The great atmosphere. I feel the love everywhere that I’m going.”

This year has been relentless, filled with flights, practice sessions, and long days on court. That’s why his appreciation for his team runs deep.  He added, “I am really grateful for everyone, for their energy, and the love that I am receiving, and this trophy is always for them. Because it’s not only for just one person. As I said, it’s for my team, for my people. But obviously, the support I’m receiving everywhere.”

Looking back, Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 season reads like a thriller. After a rollercoaster 2024 that ended with him as World No. 3, he fought back from a tough Australian Open quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic. From there, the fire ignited. He captured his first Rotterdam title, then conquered Monte Carlo, Rome, Roland Garros, Queen’s Club, Cincinnati, the US Open, and Tokyo. Along the way, he reached two more finals, at Wimbledon and Barcelona. A whirlwind year that turned into gold, and now, top of the world once again, Alcaraz owns every bit of it.

The 22-year-old pointed out that when he first earned Year-End No. 1 honours in 2022, he had the exact same team beside him. They’ve stuck together ever since, and the rewards keep coming. Now, he’s chasing his first Nitto ATP Finals title, moving into the semifinals. He’s dropped only one set so far, against Taylor Fritz in the second round. Was it the pressure of reclaiming No.1 against Jannik Sinner?

Carlos Alcaraz discusses his mindset ahead of year-end No.1

Earlier in the week, when asked about being within touching distance of world No. 1, Alcaraz said, “I try not to think about it, to be honest. Obviously, it’s going to be a really big match for me. I will try not to let the nerves play a bad time for me in that match.” True to his word, he stayed calm, played freely, and got the job done. Now at 3-0 in the tournament, he has sealed the Year End No. 1 title and looks every bit like a man in control.

But it wasn’t an easy run. On one hand, he’s making real progress in Turin. On the other hand, indoor hard courts still aren’t his comfort zone. This is, after all, Jannik Sinner’s playground (his favorite surface and his home crowd). The Italian fans have poured their energy into their defending champion, but Carlos Alcaraz seems unfazed.

He competes hard, smiles through it all, and handles the noise the only way he knows how: “I’ll try to control the emotions, to control myself. I’ll think about my goals in the match. I’ll try to feel much better than today with my shots, with the serve, with everything.”

Now, Alcaraz is just one step away from another showdown with the World No.2, a player who seems to feed off of pressure. If the Spaniard lets nerves sneak in, Sinner won’t need a second invitation. Sinner’s poise under fire has been extraordinary, and his form indoors has barely cracked. As he once said, “I like to dance in the pressure storm,” and so far, that dance has looked effortless.

Still, Alcaraz has done everything right so far, battling past Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, and Lorenzo Musetti in the group stage. He’s through to the semi-finals, where he’ll face either two-time champion Alexander Zverev or Felix Auger-Aliassime on Saturday. Is he ready for the challenge that lies ahead?