Carlos Alcaraz secured his place in the Italian Open 2025 final with a confident 6-3, 7-6(4) straight-sets win over Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in a gripping semi-final clash on Centre Court in Rome on Friday.
The match wasn’t short of drama or intensity. Facing tricky, blustery conditions and a home crowd fervently supporting Musetti, Alcaraz displayed his growing maturity and composure under pressure. The young Spaniard managed to keep his cool throughout a heated battle, especially in the second-set tiebreak, where he fended off Musetti’s resurgence with trademark aggression and tactical brilliance.
Despite Musetti winning more service points (48 to Alcaraz’s 43), the world No. 3 was a dominant force on return, claiming 45 receiving points, compared to the Italian’s 29. Alcaraz’s relentless baseline play and strategic depth wore down Musetti in key moments, especially during the tiebreak, which he clinched 7-4.
The second set saw additional drama when Musetti was docked a crucial point for misbehavior after receiving an earlier warning for smashing his racket. The lapse in composure came at a critical moment, giving Alcaraz the mental edge to push for the finish line.
With this victory, Alcaraz moves into his 25th ATP Tour-level final and is now one step away from claiming his maiden Italian Open title. He finished the match with 88 total points won and 13 games secured, reaffirming his dominance on clay ahead of the French Open.
Reflecting on his journey, this is only Alcaraz’s second appearance at the Italian Open. In his debut last year, the Spaniard suffered a shock third-round defeat to Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, while also battling a nagging forearm injury. However, this time, he appears healthy, confident, and laser-focused on adding another Masters 1000 title to his growing list of accolades.
Alcaraz will now await the winner of the second semi-final between top seed Jannik Sinner and American Tommy Paul. A potential final against Sinner promises to be a blockbuster showdown between two of the most exciting young talents in the game.
Regardless of the opponent, Carlos Alcaraz has sent a clear message: he’s ready to conquer Rome and take his place among the clay-court elite.
