Carlos Alcaraz creates a striking record with Rafael Nadal with the Barcelona Open title
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Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal
Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz continues to stun the tennis world with his exceptional skill and talent as he wins his third title of the season with a win in the finals of the 2022 Barcelona Open. Playing against countryman Pablo Carreno Busta in an all-Spanish affair, Alcaraz won the match 6-3, 6-2 to win his first Tour title in Spain in what was his first finals appearance in his country.
Alcaraz had played semi-finals earlier in the day where he had saved multiple match points in a thrilling 3-hour battle with Alex de Minaur and came back just a few hours later to win the finals, which is his second claycourt title of the season with both events being in the ATP-500 category.
With his quarter-final win, he had already confirmed his place in the Top-10 when the rankings are next updated but he did it in some style matching his idol Rafael Nadal in the process. Nadal first broke into the top-10 on 25th April 2005 when he won the Barcelona Open that year at age of 18. Alcaraz has been no different as he will be confirmed as the new World No. 9 on 25th April 2022 having won the Barcelona Open at the age of 18.
For a cherry on the top, Alcaraz achieves the feat on the Pista Rafa Nadal, the Center Court of the Barcelona Open. As Nadal is a record 12-time champion of the event, the Center Court was named in his honour and had it not been for his untimely stress fracture in the rib, he was on schedule to play at the event this year as the defending champion for the 13th time.
Is a Grand Slam as a teenager next for Carlos Alcaraz?
With Alcaraz’s entry into the Top-20 and top-10 coinciding with Nadal, many are expecting the teenager to win a Grand Slam like Nadal when the 21-time Grand Slam champion won the 2005 French Open as a 19-year old. With Alcaraz set to celebrate his 19th birthday before this year’s French Open and given the form he is currently in, the tennis fans can’t wait to see Alcaraz lift the ‘Coupe des Mousquetaires’ in Roland Garros this year.
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Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)