Carlos Alcaraz wins 2022 Madrid Open: Records broken
Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz, thumped the number two seed, Alexander Zverev, to grab his maiden Madrid Open title on Sunday. The 19-year-old won in straight sets (6-3, 6-1) at the Manolo Santana stadium. He pocketed his second ATP Masters 1000 title this season, having claimed the Miami Open earlier in April. It was his 10th consecutive win of this season. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
Alcaraz capitalized well on his red-hot form to claim his fifth ATP title. His career has risen meteorically over the last year. From being ranked 120 in the ATP Rankings to now a career-high rank of six, Alcaraz has come a long way. To batter the greats of the game at 19-years of age shows that the road ahead is bright for the Spaniard.
Alcaraz attains a note-worthy feat in Madrid!
Alcaraz enters the record books
Alcaraz is the youngest ever to win the Madrid Open. He is the second-youngest player to win two ATP Masters 1000 titles. Rafael Nadal had snatched titular wins at Monte-Carlo Masters and Rome when he was 18 back in 2005. As per ATP, Alcaraz is the first player since Argentine David Nalbandian to overcome three top four players at a 1000-level event (2007).
A look at the numbers from the match
Alcaraz won a total of 56 points to Zverev's 29. He won 32 points off his serves. He garnered an 89% win on his first serve. He won a staggering 24 receiving points while Zverev could pocket only six of those.
Alcaraz's journey in Madrid
Alcaraz battered Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 in the round of 32. He then bested the number nine seed, Cameron Norrie, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3. In the quarters, Alcaraz outclassed five-time winner, Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. In the semis, he clinched an arduous win over Novak Djokovic 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5). Lastly, he thumped Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1.
I consider myself a player that's playing very well: Alcaraz
"I consider myself a player that's playing very well. As the numbers speak by themselves, I think that I'm doing it quite well on clay right now," said Alcaraz post the win. The Spaniard added that the defeat at the hands of Sebastian Korda in the Monte-Carlo Masters played a part in upping his game. He believes there's plenty of room for improvement.
Alcaraz attains a special feat
Alcaraz is the youngest player since the start of the ATP tour in 1990 to defeat three top five players in the same tourney. Earlier, he had become the first player to outclass Nadal and Djokovic in successive matches in the same event on clay. He has the most match wins this season (28). Stefanos Tsitsipas (27) and Andrey Rublev (25) follow suit.
Alcaraz's run in 2022
Alcaraz enjoys a staggering 28-3 win record this season. He has claimed the Rio Open, Madrid Open, Miami Open, and the Barcelona Open. In the Indian Wells Masters, Alcaraz was ousted by Nadal in the semi-finals. He exited in the third round of the Australian Open. He was out in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
