Alcaraz, record numbers after the victory in Miami

Yesterday in Miami, tennis discovered and found a new champion capable of dominating the tennis of the future for many years to come. It is true that Novak Djokovic is still number 1 in the world, that Rafael Nadal is the leader of the “race”, but Carlos Alcaraz, at only 18 years, 10 months and 29 days, has given everyone – to Mr. Medvedev, to Mr. Zverev, in Tsitsipas, Rublev himself and our Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner – a clear signal that brings to mind what lived 17 years ago with the arrival on the tennis planet of a certain Rafael Nadal.

If Federer and Djokovic reached the center of the stage in a less explosive way, the last one to go down a similar path was Rafael Nadal when in 2005 he won Monte Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros in just two months. He was his own age, his own determination and his own desire to reach the top of the world. Alcaraz hasn’t become the youngest Masters 1000 champion ever and he won’t be the youngest top ten in history either. However, he has all the characteristics to become an immortal tennis player. Many players do great feats that memory then fails to place and keep forever. The 2022 of Carlos Alcaraz instead recalls the 1974 of Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors, the 1979 of John McEnroe, the 1982 of Mats Wilander, the 1985 of Boris Becker, the 1990 of Pete Sampras and the 2005 of Rafael Nadal. 17 years have passed, in the midst of the unfinished epic branded Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, and now finally a new emperor is welcomed.

Nearly missed records

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The youngest champion of a Masters 1000 remains the American Chang. Michael Chang was born in Hoboken, New Jersey on February 22, 1972 and won the Canadian Open on July 29, 1990 when he was 18 years old, 5 months and 7 days old. In the final Chang overtook the American Jay Berger for 4-6 6-3 7-6. In addition to Chang, another tennis player managed to win a Masters 1000 a few weeks earlier than Alcaraz. Rafael Nadal, who was born in Manacor on June 3, 1986, won the Monte Carlo tournament on April 17, 2005 at 18 years, 10 months and 14 days.

17 – The age of Becker and Borg

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There have been two seventeen year old tennis players who have won a Masters 1000. Boris Becker, born in Leimen on November 22, 1967, won the Cincinnati tournament on August 25, 1985 when he was 17 years, 9 months and 3 days. In the final Becker beat Swedish favorite Mats Wilander 6-4 6-2. Bjorn Borg, born in Sodertalje on 6 June 1956, won the Internazionali d’Italia on 3 June 1974 at 17 years, 11 months and 28 days, beating favorite Ilie Nastase 6-3 6-4 6-2 in the final.

Towards the top 10

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In this morning’s ranking Carlos Alcaraz is five positions ahead, going from number 16 to number 11 in the world just 29 points behind Cameron Norrie who is number 10. The assault on the top ten has started and the first useful date for the entry into the top 10 of Alcaraz is at the conclusion of the Monte Carlo tournament, scheduled from 10 to 17 April. So Alcaraz could be top 10 for the first time on April 18 at 18 years, 11 months and 13 days. At this age only 8 tennis players were classified in the top 10. The record is of the American Aaron Krickstein, top 10 at 17 years and 11 days. Michael Chang, Boris Becker, Mats Wilander and Bjorn Borg also made the top 10 at 17. At 18 Andre Agassi, Andrei Medvedev and Rafael Nadal, right after Monte Carlo 2005 at 18 years, 10 months and 22 days. Alcaraz is trying to fit in ahead of Jimmy Arias, top 10 at 18 years, 11 months and 23 days.

18 – years, 10 months and 29 days

The age of Carlos Alcaraz yesterday became the youngest champion of the Miami Masters 1000 tournament. The old record belonged to Andre Agassi who first won the tournament in 1990 at 19 years, 10 months and 25 days.

32- The ranking at the beginning of the year

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The Atp ranking with which Carlos Alcaraz ended 2021 and started 2022. From this morning the Spaniard is number 11 in the world for the first time, only 29 points behind Cameron Norrie who is the last of the top 10. In the last 30 only two tennis players were ranked in the top 10 at an age below that of Alcaraz. They are Andrei Medvedev and Rafael Nadal.

3- The tournaments

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Carlos Alcaraz has won 3 career tournaments: the first title in Umag in July 2021 when he overtook Richard Gasquet in the final, the second title in Rio de Janiero last February when he beated Diego Schwartzman in the final and the third yesterday in Miami. Alcaraz is also the reigning champion of the Next Gen Finals in Milan which he won last November by beating the American Sebastian Korda in the final.

18 – Matches won

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Alcaraz won 18 matches in 2022 out of a total of 20 played. The Spaniard lost only to Matteo Berrettini in the third round of the Australian Open (10-5 in the final super tie-break of the fifth set) and to Rafael Nadal in the semifinal at Indian Wells a few weeks ago.

4- Wins against top 10

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Alcaraz has won 4 matches of the season against the top 10: the Spaniard beat number 6 Berrettini in Rio De Janeiro while in Miami he beat number 5 Tsitsipas, number 10 Hurkacz and number 8 Ruud. The player with the highest ranking beaten by Alcaraz remains Stefanos Tsitispas number 3 in the world at the last Us Open.