Match Preview
Alcaraz taking part in for double prize vs. Musetti in Nitto ATP Finals group finale
De Minaur should beat Fritz in straight units to stay in semi-final competition
November 12, 2025
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz leads Lorenzo Musetti 6-1 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head collection.
By ATP Workers
Two singles semi-final spots can be selected Thursday on the Nitto ATP Finals as round-robin play concludes within the Jimmy Connors Group.
A win for Carlos Alcaraz in opposition to Lorenzo Musetti would seal first place within the group and ATP 12 months-Finish No. 1 offered by PIF honours for the Spaniard, whereas Alex de Minaur wants a straight-sets win in opposition to Taylor Fritz — coupled with an Alcaraz victory — to advance. Alcaraz leads the group after two matches at 2-0, adopted by Fritz at 1-1, Musetti at 1-1 and De Minaur at 0-2.
In doubles motion, the Peter Fleming Group can even wrap up Thursday. Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori bid to complete an ideal round-robin marketing campaign once they face the 0-2 workforce of Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz, earlier than a win-and-advance showdown that pits high seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool in opposition to Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [9] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)
Alcaraz is among the many most fearless rivals on the ATP Tour, however the daring 22-year-old admitted nerves may issue into this high-stakes match in opposition to Musetti. Pitted in opposition to the smooth-hitting house favorite and the Italian crowd, Alcaraz is properly conscious of what’s on the road.
A win would ship him by means of to the semi-finals with an ideal 3-0 group document and seal his second year-end No. 1 end within the PIF ATP Rankings, his first since 2022.
“I’ll attempt not to consider it,” Alcaraz stated after a 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 win in opposition to Fritz on Tuesday in Turin. “It’s going to be a very huge match for me. I’ll attempt to not let the nerves play a foul time within the match. I’ll take into consideration my targets, about feeling significantly better than immediately.”
After profitable his opening match on the Nitto ATP Finals for the primary time in three tries, beating De Minaur on Sunday, Alcaraz secured a win from a set down for the primary time in Turin in opposition to Fritz. Whereas he mentioned the bodily and emotional stresses of that just about three-hour match, he welcomed the time off forward of the group finale. One other off day would await earlier than the semi-finals, a luxurious not afforded to the gamers within the Bjorn Borg Group.
Musetti received a brutal three-setter of his personal in opposition to De Minaur on Tuesday, battling again from a break down within the third set for a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 consequence — his first win in his Nitto ATP Finals event debut. Whereas he struggled bodily at occasions, he drew on his “huge coronary heart and large ardour for this sport” to battle again, to the delight of the house crowd.
“I’m a warrior,” Musetti stated. “I’ve improved rather a lot on the psychological facet and I’m pushing myself to the restrict as a result of I’m taking part in each match in opposition to the highest gamers. The following one coming is in opposition to Carlos. I understand how troublesome it’s, particularly in these circumstances. I’ll attempt to take pleasure in and battle like I did immediately.”
Alcaraz and Musetti have met on a few of the sport’s largest phases this season, with Alcaraz sweeping conferences in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros and profitable the title in any respect three occasions. Regardless of trailing Alcaraz 1-6 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head with six consecutive defeats, the Italian managed to take a set off his rival in two of their three matches this season — all on clay courts.
Each gamers are clay natives, although Alcaraz’s sport has translated to extra success on onerous courts. Whereas Musetti might have the home-crowd benefit, the short circumstances favour the versatile Alcaraz. However at his finest, Musetti is among the few males on the ATP Tour who can rival Alcaraz for each energy and artistry. After the De Minaur thriller, can the Italian paint one other masterpiece in opposition to the highest seed?
Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur” fashion=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/photographs/information/2025/11/12/20/23/fritz-de-minaur-turin-rr-preview.jpg”>
[6] Taylor Fritz (USA) vs. [7] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
Regardless of heartbreaking defeats for every on Tuesday, Fritz and De Minaur are nonetheless in with an opportunity to advance to the Turin semi-finals. Fritz controls his personal future, with a win sufficient to achieve the Nitto ATP Finals knockout rounds for the third time. De Minaur wants a straight-sets victory to remain in competition, and would then be rooting for Alcaraz to ship him by means of with a night win over Musetti.
Fritz and De Minaur have been each reeling instantly after their Tuesday outings, with the Aussie taking the loss notably onerous.
“If I actually need to be severe about taking the following step in my profession, these matches, I can not lose them. I simply can’t,” De Minaur stated after failing to shut out Musetti from 5-3 up within the last set. “I imply, it looks like I’ve misplaced quite a lot of them this yr. Greater than something, it is getting to some extent the place mentally it is killing me.”
Including to the ache was the truth that De Minaur was denied his first Nitto ATP Finals win in two appearances; he’s now 0-5 in Turin between his debut final season and this present marketing campaign. After notching a career-best 55 wins this season, in accordance with the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, the Aussie can be keen so as to add at the very least another to his tally.
Fritz had Alcaraz on the ropes within the second set of their assembly, however after lacking out on two break factors in a marathon fifth sport within the second set, he didn’t earn one other break alternative within the match.
“I had the possibilities. I had all I may ask for,” he mirrored. “I might say the factor that is irritating is many of the alternatives that come to my thoughts have been all on me truly having the ball that I need to actually assault on, simply not hitting it properly sufficient.”
The American credited his aggressive returning with creating alternatives to assault on return, and he’ll hope to have loads extra possibilities to dictate in opposition to De Minaur. Whereas the Aussie just isn’t as attack-minded as Alcaraz, he is aware of the right way to do harm on onerous courts: his 42 wins on the floor this season are probably the most on the ATP Tour.
The pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head is lifeless even at 5-5, although they haven’t performed since Fritz swept two late-season conferences in 2024, on the Nitto ATP Finals and Davis Cup.
Doubles Motion
The standings within the Peter Fleming Group make for a really simple Thursday. At 2-0 with an ideal 4-0 set document, Italians Bolelli and Vavassori have clinched first place within the group — although they may nonetheless be taking part in for vital PIF ATP Doubles Rankings factors and prize cash once they tackle Krawietz and Puetz, whose title defence will finish within the round-robin stage.
Money and Glasspool, who clinched 12 months-Finish ATP Doubles No. 1 offered by PIF honours by beating the Germans on Tuesday, tackle third seeds Granollers and Zeballos in what successfully quantities to a quarter-final: the winner of that night showdown will advance to the semi-finals in second place.
