Carlos Alcaraz has made a powerful start to his campaign at the ATP Finals in Turin, securing a straight-sets victory over Australia's Alex de Minaur. The top seed navigated a challenging first set before dominating the second to win 7-6 (5), 6-2.
A Battle for Supremacy in the Opening Set
The match began with Alcaraz looking sharp and immediately applying pressure. He raced to a commanding 4-1 lead in the first set and even held three break points at 0-40 on De Minaur's serve. However, the resilient Australian fought back valiantly, clawing his way into the set and forcing a tie-break.
In the tie-break, De Minaur continued his strong form, building a 5-3 lead and putting the set within his grasp. Faced with this adversity, the young Spaniard demonstrated the mental fortitude that has become a hallmark of his game. Alcaraz dug deep, winning the next four points in a row to clinch the set 7-6(5).
Alcaraz Shakes Off Nerves to Dominate Second Set
Having secured the hard-fought first set, Alcaraz played with noticeably more freedom. The nerves seemed to vanish, and he began to unleash his full repertoire of shots. The second set was a far more straightforward affair, with the world number one breaking De Minaur's serve and cruising to a 6-2 victory to seal the match.
Reflecting on the match, Alcaraz said, "I think he was playing much better in the tie-break. So I just tried to stay strong mentally, just to stay focused on the next point." He added that he was happy to have closed out the match in two sets after the intense opening.
The Stakes: The Quest for the Year-End No. 1
This victory is a crucial first step for Alcaraz, who is competing in the ATP Finals for the second time. He is not only aiming to win the season-ending championship for the first time but is also locked in a battle with Italy's Jannik Sinner to finish the year as the top-ranked player.
Alcaraz holds a significant advantage this week. To guarantee the year-end No. 1 ranking, he must either win all three of his round-robin matches or reach the final in Turin. This win against De Minaur puts him on the right path in the Green Group.
Alcaraz's next challenge will be against the winner of the match between Taylor Fritz and Lorenzo Musetti, which is scheduled for Monday. In the other group, Jannik Sinner begins his title defence on Monday against Félix Auger-Aliassime.
