Alcaraz clinches $5.18 million to end romance rumors, Ziwei reluctant to be in the same group as Sinner sparks playful comments

Following the WTA year-end finals, the Turin ATP Finals did not disappoint! From the very first day, it generated buzz, with Alcaraz being the undisputed star of the event.

Because Lyubakina’s dramatic journey to qualify for and ultimately win the Riyadh year-end finals, along with her refusal to take a photo with the WTA CEO at the awards ceremony, the buzz around the WTA’s final event of the year has continued to grow. Fans and netizens worried that the Turin Finals might be overshadowed in terms of attention. Unexpectedly, Alcaraz’s commanding performance instantly proved such concerns were needless.

Alcaraz’s debut at the Turin Finals this year attracted much attention, mainly due to his early exit at the recent indoor Paris Masters. Additionally, the fierce battle between the Spaniard and Sinner for the year-end world No.1 spot made his first performance a major focus.

In the match against Deminor, given the clear difference in skill, everyone expected Alcaraz to win easily. Yet, surprisingly, he played a big prank on everyone in the first set. As one fan put it, he nearly triggered heart attacks among viewers.

Although Alcaraz started the first set looking less than optimal, once he raised his level, he quickly surged ahead to lead Deminor 4-1.

Just when everyone thought Alcaraz would swiftly defeat the young Australian, unexpectedly, whether due to a lapse in concentration or intentionally testing nerves, he allowed Deminor to catch up and even pushed the first set into a tiebreak.

This sudden drop in form reminded many of Alcaraz’s debut at the Paris Masters. Many commented that if he suffered a similar opening loss in the year-end Finals group stage, potentially affecting the race for world No.1, the Spaniard might face serious mental health challenges by the end of the 2025 season.

Fortunately, after narrowly winning the first-set tiebreak against Deminor, Alcaraz didn’t put fans through another rollercoaster in the second set, sealing the match 6-2.

With this victory, Alcaraz moved closer to securing the year-end No.1 ranking and earned $727,500 in prize money, which converts to over 5.18 million RMB. After the match, fans jokingly told Alcaraz that although he scared everyone in the first set, winning such a huge prize “still makes the heart feel sweet.”

However, when Alcaraz revealed his relationship status after the match, it made his female fans even happier.

“I’m single!” When Vesnina asked about Alcaraz’s romantic situation on behalf of his global female fans, his answer immediately sparked wild cheers from the ladies.

Previously, foreign media reported that Alcaraz was in a passionate relationship with well-known American model and actress Brooks Nader, which broke many female fans’ hearts.

This rumor gained credibility because it was leaked by the woman’s own younger sister, who gave detailed accounts including plans to meet the family, adding weight to the dating speculation about Alcaraz.

Although someone claiming to be close to Alcaraz denied the romance rumors, the Spaniard himself never publicly refuted them, making many believe the relationship was likely real, especially since the woman is well-known in the US fashion scene and had no need to ride on Alcaraz’s fame.

Now, with Alcaraz personally stating he is single during an interview in Turin, it indirectly confirms that the romance rumors with Brooks Nader were probably untrue, and the two may have had mutual interest but never officially got together.

Alcaraz’s fluctuating performance in his year-end Finals debut and his candid revelation about his current relationship status have generated waves of shock. Moreover, Zverev added fuel to the fire, pushing the Turin Finals’ buzz to new heights.

German star Zverev, grouped with Sinner, Shelton, and Aliassime, also won his opening group match.

However, Zverev seemed unhappy with his group draw, openly saying he wished to be in the same group as Alcaraz. His comment that “the indoor hard courts in Turin favor Italians” was widely interpreted as implying “Ziwei might be afraid to face Sinner head-on and struggle to advance from the group.”

Many fans and netizens remarked that the year-end Finals feature the most consistent and top-performing players of the year, so if Zverev fears facing strong opponents, winning a Grand Slam in the future would clearly be even more difficult.

Of course, Zverev probably realized his words could be misunderstood and attract unnecessary criticism, so he later added, “Actually, it doesn’t matter which group I’m in.”

Fans and netizens joked that Zverev might be trying to boost the Turin Finals’ hype by giving people extra conversation topics, praising his fearless attitude and courage to speak out.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moon River’s Starry Sky)