Carlos Alcaraz has had the best season of his career. He reached three Grand Slam finals, beating Jannik Sinner to win the French Open and the U.S. Open while playing some electrifying tennis. But even after all that, he said, “I’m far from being the best player in tennis or overall.” Yes, he secured the ATP Year-End No. 1, but the season hasn’t finished yet, and Alcaraz isn’t one to settle.

Alcaraz recently sat down with the Spanish radio program, El Larguero. After the dream season he’s had, the interviewer wondered whether Alcaraz could ask for much more. But Alcaraz, always looking ahead to the next goal, replied with a smile:

“End the year with ten titles. With the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup.” He may already have eight trophies and more than sixteen million dollars in prize money, but he wants that number ten. And that takes us to the events still ahead.

His 2025 title list includes the Rotterdam Open, Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open, French Open, Queen’s Club, US Open, Cincinnati Masters, and the Japan Open. The ATP Finals are currently underway, while the 2025 Davis Cup Final 8 will be held in Bologna, Italy, from 18 to 23 November. With both tournaments in sight, Alcaraz is pushing for a finish that matches his own high standards. Now, the real question is how strong his chances look.

Without Jannik Sinner in the Davis Cup field, Carlos Alcaraz may feel even more confident about guiding Spain to their first title in the event since 2019. His presence is a major lift for the team, who fought back from 2 to 0 down to beat Denmark in their qualifier in Marbella. Alcaraz also has a solid Davis Cup record, winning five of his six singles matches so far. And now the responsibility grows even more.

With Rafael Nadal retired, the spotlight naturally shifts to the 22-year-old as the new leader of Spain. But before he can handle the pressure in the Davis Cup, could he also claim the ATP Finals trophy?

Carlos Alcaraz’s road to the final

The Davis Cup might look within reach for Carlos Alcaraz, but the ATP Finals are a whole different challenge. It’s a trophy the Spaniard has never lifted before, despite appearing twice in 2023 and 2024. Jannik Sinner awaits in the final, having handily dispatched of Alex de Minaur earlier today, and the Spaniard will need to get past Felix Auger Aliassime in his semifinal to meet Sinner’s challenge.

And a challenge it will be, for the defending champion has extended his indoor win streak to a whopping 30 victories. On the other hand, indoor hard courts are Alcaraz’s worst surface to play on, belying his perfect 3-0 record in Turin so far. But Alcaraz has openly admitted that he lacks practice in indoor courts, believing that progress will come with time:

“I have no experience playing on indoor courts. I could practice a lot on indoor courts, but I don’t have matches in my back on indoor courts. So I don’t know. I have to be better on this part of the year that we play on indoor courts. I don’t know. I’ll be a really good player on indoor courts, I’m sure about it. But I think it’s about time, about getting experience, getting matches in my back, hitting on indoor courts.”

With Auger Aliassime, another indoor specialist, it’ll be interesting to see how Alcaraz adapts. After all, it was only earlier this month when he crashed out to Cameron Norrie in the first round at the Paris Masters.

But Alcaraz is nothing if not adaptable, always pushing and trying to find solutions on court and off it. Will he secure trophy No. 9 come Sunday? We’ll know if he gets the chance in just a few short hours.