Carlos Alcaraz becomes the first player to match Rafael Nadal’s clay record with his Argentina Open title
Alcaraz further cements his title as the up-and-coming clay master as he wins five clay-court titles
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Spanish clay wizard Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest ever World No. 1 as well as the year-end No. 1 player in tennis. The 19-year-old achieved the position after clinching the 2022 US Open title as he defeated Norwegian player Casper Ruud. Alcaraz is already hailed as one of the leading tennis players of the next generation, owing to his all-around play.
The 19-year-old’s prominence on clay courts cannot be denied. Carlos won the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires today to claim his seventh ATP Tour title. Out of the seven, five are clay-court titles, further establishing Alcaraz as a formidable force on clay. The Spaniard is the only player to win five clay-court ATP titles before the age of 20 in the Open Era, with the exception of Rafael Nadal.
The youngster pulled out of the Australian Open earlier in the year due to an injury in his right leg. As Novak Djokovic clinched his 10th Australian Open title, Carlos lost his No. 1 ranking. Alcaraz returned to play in Buenos Aires, where he won the title on his season debut. He won the title by defeating Cameron Norrie in straight sets.
Alcaraz and Nadal have won a total of 18 clay-court ATP titles together before entering their 20s, which is a remarkable feat in itself. No other player than the teenager has won a tournament on clay before turning twenty, at least in this century. Largely referred to as the “next king of clay,” Alcaraz defeated Nadal in the Madrid Open last year, the first-ever teenager to do so.
His hard-court record was an impressive 26-7 win-loss record. However, Carlos’ clay record was even better at 27–4. Despite excelling on clay, the player also has proficiency on hard courts. He has often been compared to the skills of the “Big Three,” especially Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz is set to play at the Rio Open next.
Carlos Alcaraz to defend his title at the 2023 Rio Open
Since its inception in 2014, the Rio Open has been an annual outdoor clay-court ATP 500 tournament. Carlos Alcaraz won the title in 2022 and seeks to defend it this year too. After his Argentina Open win, Alcaraz will want to continue his streak in Rio de Janeiro. The reigning champion won against Diego Schwartzman last year.
Alcaraz is, obviously, the top seed as well as the most favored to win the title again in Rio. The 19-year-old will face wildcard Mateus Alves in his first round of the ATP tournament. The Brazilian will play in an ATP championship for the first time, facing the 19-year-old Grand Slam champion in the first round itself.
The Rio Open will begin on Tuesday, while Alcaraz will play against Alves on Wednesday. Other prominent players to participate in the tournament include Cameron Norrie, Dominic Thiem, Lorenzo Musetti, and Diego Schwartzman, among others. Previous winners in Rio include Nadal, Thiem, and David Ferrer.
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)