Carlos Alcaraz will finish the year as world number one after a commanding 6-4, 6-1 victory over Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals on Thursday.

The Spaniard, a double-Grand Slam champion in 2025, secured the top spot ahead of rival Jannik Sinner in the updated men’s rankings on Monday. His win also guaranteed first place in the Jimmy Connors Group at the season-ending tournament.

Alcaraz has already notched 70 victories this season and could technically lose his semi-final on Saturday and still end 2025 atop the rankings—even if Sinner retains his Finals title on home soil. However, the 21-year-old appears far from complacent, aiming to claim his first ATP Finals crown. He is on course for a potential final showdown with Sinner, who qualified first from the Björn Borg Group on Wednesday.

“It means the world to me, to be honest. Being year-end number one is always a goal,” Alcaraz said. “At the start of the year, I saw number one as very far away, with Jannik winning almost every tournament he played. For me, it means everything—the work we put in every day, the ups and downs, the comebacks. I’m really proud of my team and myself.”

Alcaraz made light work of Sinner’s countryman Musetti, who has now been eliminated from the tournament. Despite a passionate crowd cheering for the world number nine—who only qualified for the Finals after Novak Djokovic withdrew at the last minute—Musetti was unable to mount a challenge.

Joining Alcaraz in the semi-finals is Alex de Minaur, who secured his spot with a straight-sets 7-6(7/3), 6-3 win over Taylor Fritz earlier on Thursday.