The fans in Turin were heard booing Carlos Alcaraz when he was shown on screen ahead of his final group stage match vs home favorite Lorenzo Musetti.
He was, of course, unaffected, as Alcaraz defeated Musetti in straight sets, to knock the Italian out of the competition…
The Italian fans were met with criticism online for their behavior, as they became some of the first to boo one of the most likable athletes in the world of sport.
It is wrong, however, to focus just on the negative aspects of the passionate crowds in Turin.
They’ve come out in their numbers for every day and night session at this year’s ATP Finals, even when there was nothing on the line.
The Inalpi Arena was packed for a ‘dead rubber’ doubles match at the ATP Finals
Throughout 2025, several tournaments have struggled to get fans in their seats to watch the ‘day session’ matches.
Especially when those matches involve players from the doubles tour!
The ATP Finals haven’t been affected by those issues, however, as the Inalpi Arena was packed from the first minute to the last on Thursday, even for a dead rubber doubles tie.
Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori had already qualified for the semifinals, but that didn’t stop the fans from turning up for their final group stage match.
They were nearly rewarded with a thrilling win, but the Italians narrowly came up short, losing 6-7, 6-4, 11-13 to Tim Putz and Kevin Krawietz.
That didn’t stop them finishing top of the group, however, as Bolelli and Vavassori now prepare to take on the runners-up from the ‘John McEnroe group’
Peter Fleming group
| Rank | Team | Record | Status |
| 1 | Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori | 2-1 | Qualified |
| 2 | Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool | 2-1 | Qualified |
| 3 | Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos | 1-2 | Eliminated |
| 4 | Tim Putz/Kevin Krawietz | 1-2 | Eliminated |
John McEnroe group
| Rank | Team | Record | Status |
| 1 | Joe Salisbury/Neal Skupski | 2-0 | Qualified |
| 2 | Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten | 1-1 | – |
| 3 | Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic | 1-1 | – |
| 4 | Christian Harrison/Evan King | 0-2 | Eliminated |
The Italian fans deserve credit for the way they support their own in Turin, providing an electric atmosphere as a result.
There could still be a lot for them to cheer about, with singles and doubles glory now within touching distance.
While Bolelli and Vavassori are just two matches away from the doubles title, defending champion Jannik Sinner is closing in on another win in the singles.
Is Jannik Sinner currently the best player in the world?
The four-time Grand Slam champion will play Alex de Minaur in the semifinals on Saturday, November 15.
Fans will no doubt fill out the Inalpi Arena once again for that one, as they continue to set the standard for tennis crowd support.
The ATP Finals differ from the WTA Finals in that regard, as empty seats were quite common in Riyadh earlier this month.
Why are there more fans at the ATP Finals than the WTA Finals?
During Ekaterina Alexandrova and Elena Rybakina’s group stage match at the WTA Finals, Sky Sports commentator Jonathan Overend commented on the crowd support in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s a similar crowd to yesterday and the day before, and if I’m going to be very honest about it, as I always will be, it’s not great,” he said.
“It’s still disappointing; they struggle to get anywhere near filling this 4,000 capacity arena.”
That opinion wasn’t shared by everyone, however, as American duo Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys suggested attendance had improved since 2024.
“There were a lot more fans this year,” said Pegula.
“They were really good. I got a lot of questions about that in the press. I was like, ‘Oh, it’s so much different than last year,’ because last year, it felt like they didn’t know how to cheer, because they don’t really have tennis here.
“This year, it felt like there were way more chants, yelling people’s names, and cheering. Sections of different types of fans… It was cool to see that change from last year. Hopefully, it’s kind of growing in this region of the world.”
“The fans, I thought, were great,” added Keys.
So, maybe the support in Saudi Arabia wasn’t that bad after all, although it’s fair to say they weren’t selling out the arena every day…
But why is that?
Well, for starters, the fans in Saudi Arabia didn’t have a home hero to support, like the Italians do in Turin.
Musetti and Sinner were both born less than 300 miles away from the Inalpi Arena, whereas none of the WTA finalists were born anywhere near Riyadh.
| WTA finalist | WTA Finals result | Birthplace | Distance from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Elena Rybakina | Champion | Moscow, Russia | 2,200 miles |
| Aryna Sabalenka | Finalist | Minsk, Belarus | 2,250 miles |
| Jessica Pegula | Semifinalist | New York, USA | 6,500 miles |
| Amanda Anisimova | Semifinalist | New Jersey, USA | 6,600 miles |
| Iga Swiatek | Round Robin | Warsaw, Poland | 2,300 miles |
| Coco Gauff | Round Robin | Atlanta, USA | 6,300 miles |
| Jasmine Paolini | Round Robin | Tuscany, Italy | 2,100 miles |
| Madison Keys | Round Robin | Illinois, USA | 6,200 miles |
| Ekaterina Alexandrova | Round Robin | Chelyabinsk, Russia | 1,950 miles |
Perhaps if the fans in Riyadh had a more local hero to support, like Ons Jabeur, for example, they would have shown more interest in the event.
Only time will tell if the crowds will continue to improve at the WTA Finals, but it will certainly be something to keep an eye on.
The WTA Finals are set to remain in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until at least 2027.
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