It was a night that tested everything for Carlos Alcaraz. His patience, his game plan, and his willpower. The World No. 1 had to fight tooth and nail to beat Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals in Turin. Fritz came out strong, taking the first set in a tiebreak, while Alcaraz struggled to find his rhythm. It felt like a fight for every point. After almost three hours of intense tennis, the Spaniard, however, refused to give up and fought his way back to win 6-7, 7-5, 6-3. Yet, what got people talking was what happened after the comeback.

As soon as the match ended, Alcaraz walked to his bench, took off his shirt, and sat completely still. He didn’t smile, didn’t cheer, didn’t even move. Sweat dripped down his face as he stared at the floor, deep in thought. For a few seconds, the usually electric stadium fell quiet. Cameras caught that moment, and soon it was online. Fans said it looked as if a champion was completely drained. When Alcaraz was asked about that viral moment, he finally explained what was going through his mind.

“It was a feeling of relief, to be honest,” Carlos Alcaraz said. “It was a very intense match, both physically and mentally very demanding, and very draining. From the beginning, I knew how difficult and tough it was going to be.” So, the silence wasn’t about sadness; it was about letting go after giving everything he had. We’re used to seeing him celebrate, full of energy and smiles, but this time he showed what it really takes to be at the top. The exhaustion, the focus, the emotion that hides behind every victory.

“In the end,” he said, “I was able to sit down, I was able to think, and I was able to do everything much more calmly, and that’s what happened.” Yet as calm as he seemed, there’s still one thing Alcaraz can’t escape: the pressure of finishing the year as World No. 1. With this win, Carlos Alcaraz moved to 2-0 in his group. But the stage is set again, the question remains: can Alcaraz finish what he started?

Carlos Alcaraz makes his feelings clear on Lorenzo Musetti

Carlos Alcaraz is just one win away from finishing the year as World No. 1. After two big wins at the ATP Finals in Turin, he now needs to either beat Lorenzo Musetti in his final group match or win his semifinal to lock in the top spot for the second time in his career. The stakes are huge. If Alcaraz loses and Jannik Sinner goes unbeaten to defend his title, Sinner will overtake him and finish as the new No. 1.

Right now, Alcaraz leads the Jimmy Connors group ahead of Fritz and Musetti. Musetti, who replaced Novak Djokovic after the Serbian withdrew with a shoulder injury, is the last obstacle standing between Alcaraz and his goal. The Spaniard knows what’s at stake, but he’s doing his best to keep calm. “I’m trying not to think about it, to be honest,” he said. “But it’s really difficult not to think about the No. 1 spot.”

When asked about facing Musetti instead of Djokovic, Alcaraz was open and a bit cheeky. “Obviously, someone like Novak being in the group is always tough. The experience he has in this tournament, the level he has on the indoor court, it’s quite good. I lost to him in 2023, and I played great. He killed me,” Alcaraz said with a laugh. Then he added, “To be honest, I prefer Lorenzo. I’m not going to lie.”

But at the same time, he also praised Musetti: “If he’s there, he deserves it because of the level he has put on the matches and the tournaments he has done this year.” With the group stage wrapping up, the pressure is mounting. Every point, every game, now carries much weight. Carlos Alcaraz has shown outstanding fight all week, but the final push will test his nerves as much as his game.