Carlos Alcaraz became the first teenager to be ranked No. 1 in ATP rankings history after he defeated Casper Ruud in 4 sets in the final.
Carlos Alcaraz : Wins | US Open 2022 | Champion
Alcaraz Garfia was born on May 5, 2003, in El Palmar, Murcia, Spain to parents Carlos and Virginia. He has three siblings.
He started playing tennis at the Real Sociedad Club de Campo de Murcia where his father was the tennis academy director. In 2018, he began playing at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Equelite JC Ferrero Sport Academy.
Alcaraz was ranked as high as world No. 22 and won two titles on the ITF Junior Circuit. After turning professional in 2018, he won three titles on the ITF Men’s World Tennis Tour and four on the ATP Challenger Tour and broke into the top 100 in rankings in May 2021.
Two months later, Alcaraz reached his first ATP Tour final at the 2021 Croatia Open, an ATP 250 tournament, where he won his first title.
He later entered the top 50 after reaching the quarterfinals at the following US Open and won the year-end 2021 Next Generation ATP Finals in Milan.
Carlos Alcaraz wins
Carlos Alcaraz showed glimpses of what promises to be a glittering career in tennis when he won the US Open crown as a 19-year-old on Sunday, September 11.
The Spanish teenager defeated Casper Ruud in 4 sets in the final to cap off a stunning run with his maiden Grand Slam title in New York.
With the US Open triumph, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest since Rafael Nadal in 2005 (French Open) to win a Grand Slam title and the youngest since Pete Sampras in 1990 to win a Grand Slam title in men’s tennis.
It was a double delight for Alcaraz as the Spaniard also became the new No.1 in men’s singles tennis.
Alcaraz and Ruud not just battled for the US Open crown but also for the numero uno spot after it was confirmed that Daniil Medvedev would vacate the spot after failing to defend his US Open title.
There was plenty at stake for the two young men in New York on Sunday but Alcaraz showcased composure beyond his years to achieve glory.
US Open 2022
Carlos Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud in four sets 6-4 2-6 7-6(1) 6-3 to win a maiden Grand Slam with US Open victory.
The 19-year-old said he is going to enjoy the moment but is “hungry for more” after his incredible run at Flushing Meadows.
Ruud | Match Stats | Alcaraz |
---|---|---|
4 | Aces | 14 |
2 | Double Faults | 3 |
66% | 1st serve win percentage | 74% |
65% | 2nd serve win percentage | 51% |
3/10 | Break points won | 3/11 |
37 | Total winners | 55 |
29 | Unforced errors | 41 |
122 | Total points won | 127 |
Alcaraz is the youngest player in ATP history to top the world rankings after spending a record 23 hours and 39 minutes on court through seven matches.
Carlos Alcaraz said he is “hungry for more” after he fulfilled two lifelong dreams on Sunday by clinching a maiden Grand Slam title and becoming world No. 1.
The youngest player in ATP history to top the world rankings, Alcaraz pulled off a miraculous run at the US Open that saw him spend a record 23 hours and 39 minutes on court through seven matches.
Alcaraz, who burst into the spotlight by reaching the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows a year ago, showed he was ready to win the biggest titles by lifting Masters trophies in Miami and Madrid, where he beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back to back, and has proved himself to be a complete player despite his tender years.
Carlos Alcaraz Champion
Carlos Alcaraz has already recovered from three successive five-set matches, two of which finished past 2am; he needed three hours and 20 minutes to defeat Casper Ruud and seal his maiden Grand Slam at the US Open; the 19-year-old also becomes the youngest man to be ranked No 1.
Alcaraz is more than a year younger than Lleyton Hewitt was when he topped the standings in 2001.
“This is something I dreamed of since I was a young kid. To be number one in the world, to be the champion of a Grand Slam,” said Alcaraz.
“All the hard work I did with my team, my family. I’m just 19 years old so a lot of the decisions are with my team, my parents. It’s something that is very special for me.”
Alcaraz admitted with a smile that he was “a little bit” tired, but said: “I always said it’s not time to be tired in the final round of a Grand Slam. You have to give everything on court, everything you have inside.”