Courtside Proposal Ignites Alcaraz's Turin Resolve
In Turin's charged Inalpi Arena, a Mexican couple's engagement unfolds just before Carlos Alcaraz faces Taylor Fritz, blending personal joy with the season's high-stakes drama.
The 2025 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin offered more than intense rallies on Tuesday afternoon. As the Inalpi Arena filled with the hum of anticipation, Isidoro Shrem from Mexico City dropped to one knee in courtside seats, proposing to his girlfriend Susy Harari moments before Carlos Alcaraz prepared to face Taylor Fritz. Their intimate gesture, broadcast live on the jumbotron, drew waves of applause that rippled through the crowd, transforming the prestigious season finale into a shared celebration of love amid the tournament's competitive edge.
Isidoro and Susy, together for four and a half years, are devoted tennis fans who frequently attend the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, the ATP 500 event in Acapulco. This marked their first visit to the Nitto ATP Finals, where they count Alcaraz as their favorite player for his dynamic blend of power and charisma. The surprise proposal caught Susy off guard, amplifying the electric atmosphere as the couple settled in to watch the Jimmy Connors Group matchup unfold.
"I was nervous before, and when it came to the moment I was extremely nervous. But everything turned out okay." — Isidoro Shrem
"[It was] an amazing experience. The tournament is really very nice and I wasn’t expecting [the proposal] at all. It was really a very breathtaking experience." — Susy Harari
Pressure mirrors proposal's raw nerves
Isidoro's pre-proposal anxiety paralleled the psychological load Alcaraz shouldered entering the court, after a season that demanded constant resilience as world No. 1. The Spaniard, facing Fritz's reliable serving and flat groundstrokes on the indoor hardcourt, knew a slip could jeopardize his group standing. The arena's buoyant mood from the engagement seemed to infuse the air, steadying Alcaraz as he traded deep crosscourt exchanges in the opening set, his quick footwork countering the American's pressure with defensive lobs that bought precious time.
Fritz, thriving in the faster conditions with his improved returns, forced Alcaraz into a tiebreak where early errors handed the first set 7-6(2). The top seed's one–two combinations occasionally faltered under the baseline duels, but the crowd's lingering warmth—echoing the couple's joyful pivot—urged him forward. Turin's moderate pace favored Alcaraz's adaptability, allowing slice backhands to skid low and disrupt Fritz's rhythm in extended rallies that tested mental fortitude.
Tactical shifts seal emotional high
Regrouping in the second set, Alcaraz incorporated more inside-out forehands to pull Fritz wide, opening angles for down-the-line winners that shifted momentum at 5-5. He broke serve with a precise drop shot, then held to level the match 7-5, his energy surging like the earlier cheers for the proposal. The third set became a showcase of his all-court prowess, varying depths to keep the American guessing amid crosscourt patterns that blended into sudden inside-in rockets.
Fritz ramped up serve-volley attempts, but Alcaraz's anticipation converted key break points, dominating the decider 6-3 and securing a 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3 victory. For Isidoro and Susy, who missed Alcaraz's Sunday win over Alex de Minaur due to a delayed flight, this performance felt like fate. Susy, admitting her own match-time nerves, praised how he turned deficits around, while Isidoro highlighted the player's crowd-rallying flair and breathtaking shots that made the day unforgettable.
Watch Isidoro and Susy's Magical Moment At The Nitto ATP Finals:
As the group stage intensifies, Alcaraz's resilience bolsters his title defense, the indoor surface suiting his explosive adjustments amid rankings pressures. For the newly engaged couple, Turin's spotlight now weaves their romance with the sport's unyielding drive, promising enduring memories and future courtside thrills that mirror the champions they admire.
