World number three Carlos Alcaraz lost to Alexander Zverev 6-7(5), 4-6, in the final round of the ATP Finals group stage on November 15.
Alcaraz needed to win at least one set to have any hope of progressing, but he failed to do so. Against an in-form opponent, the Spaniard lost 0-2 and could not repeat his semi-final performance last year. Zverev advanced with six straight sets and top spot in the group, facing Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals. Casper Ruud finished second in the group and will face Jannik Sinner.
Zverev’s 79% first serve was the fulcrum that helped him hold the game. On the other side, Alcaraz had to save seven break-points in the first set alone. The 21-year-old had a chance in Zverev’s pivotal game when he led by 30, but failed to capitalize. He then lost the tie-break with a score of 5-7.
Losing the first set left Alcaraz demoralized, although he still had a chance to rely on the result of the Ruud – Andrey Rublev match. He lost his serve at the beginning of the second set and could not come back. Zverev evened the score against his opponent this year to 2-2.
“He beat me in important matches this season, so I’m very happy to get revenge,” Zverev still remembers the defeat in the Roland Garros final. “Our relationship is that of rivals but also friends. I hope to play against Alcaraz more often.”
Zverev will play Fritz at 8:30 p.m. today, November 16, Hanoi time. Fritz was the one who defeated Zverev in the quarterfinals of the 2024 US Open – a match that the German tennis player described as his worst match of the year. The remaining semi-final match will take place at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 17, between Sinner and Ruud. Ruud is the last name to reach the semi-finals, when he defeated Andrey Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final round of the John Newcombe group.
Each player who reaches the ATP Finals will receive a minimum of $331,000. They will receive an additional $396,500 for each group stage win. The two semifinalists will receive $1.12 million, and one of them will receive an additional $2.24 million for winning the title. In total, the winner in Turin could earn more than $4 million.