Alcaraz clinches year-end top spot with ATP Finals win over Musetti

TURIN, Italy :Carlos Alcaraz clinched the year-end world number one ranking and secured top spot in the Jimmy Connors Group with a 6-4 6-1 win over Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Finals on Thursday, a result that also sent Alex De Minaur into the semi-finals following his victory over Taylor Fritz.

The Spaniard downed two Italians with one strike, eliminating Musetti from the season-ending championships and railroading Jannik Sinner's hopes of regaining top spot in the rankings despite a far from stellar performance in his third round-robin win from three.

Alcaraz, who previously ended the year at top spot in 2022, has had the best season of his career, reaching the final of three Grand Slams, winning the French and U.S. Open and losing the Wimbledon decider, facing Sinner on all three occasions.

The 22-year-old, who won eight titles in total this season, remains on course to win his first ATP Finals after overcoming a brave Musetti performance, where Alcaraz broke at 5-4 up in the first set before comfortably winning the second.

Australia's De Minaur put in a superb performance to bounce back from losing his opening two matches, and beat last year's losing finalist Fritz 7-6(3) 6-3 in a match where the American's usually reliable service game let him down.

De Minaur lived up to his 'Demon' nickname, showing energy and character as he hustled the lethargic-looking Fritz all over the court. After taking the first-set tiebreak, he stormed to victory following an early break in the second set.

Defeat sent Fritz home, but De Minaur was relying on an Alcaraz win to make the last four, a fact even the Australian seemed confused about after his win.

"Is that actually true or not? I don't know, I don't trust you right now, I'm gonna have