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Friday, March 29, 2024

Carlos Alcaraz moves closer to Mats Wilander

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The 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz is still the world’s leading player. Carlos is spending his 18th week as world no. 1, moving two away from Daniil Medvedev and trailing two behind Mats Wilander. Alcaraz is the 17th player with 18 weeks on the ATP throne, and he is guaranteed to spend two more during the Australian Open and catch the Swede.

Still, the Spaniard could lose the no. 1 spot following the season’s first Major, skipping the Australian Open and leaving the door open for his opponents. Alcaraz took the ATP throne after conquering his first Major at the US Open last September, becoming the first teenager with a Major crown since Rafael Nadal in 2005!

Carlos has stayed at the top ever since despite slowing down in the last year’s closing stages. The young gun kicked off the 2022 season ranked just outside the top-30, setting eyes on the top-15. Instead, he achieved much more and wrote history books.

The Spaniard suffered a tight loss to Matteo Berrettini at the Australian Open in the deciding match tie break. He bounced back in February and conquered his first ATP 500 crown in Rio de Janeiro as the youngest winner on that level since 2009.

Carlos Alcaraz is the 17th player with 18 No. 1 weeks since 1973.

The young gun pushed Rafael Nadal to the limits in the Indian Wells semi-final before losing after over three hours. Carlos went all the way two weeks later in Miami and became the third-youngest Masters 1000 champion after Michael Chang and Rafael Nadal!

Alcaraz conquered Barcelona at the end of April for back-to-back ATP 500 titles and a place in the top-10 at 18. Not stopping there, the youngster lifted another Masters 1000 trophy in front of the home fans in Madrid after impressive wins over Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev.

Carlos added more valuable points with the Roland Garros quarter-final, giving his everything but losing to Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz lost back-to-back ATP finals on clay in July and came to the US Open as world no. 4. He saved a match point in the quarter-final thriller against Jannik Sinner to remain on the title course.

Carlos overpowered Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final and advanced to his first Major final at 19, repeating what Nadal and Djokovic did before him. Alcaraz fought for the ATP throne and a Major title against Casper Ruud and earned a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory in three hours and 20 minutes.

Thus, the Spaniard became the first teenager on the ATP throne! Carlos lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Basel semi-final and reached the quarter-final in Paris. He injured his left abdominal wall against his coeval Holger Rune, retiring in the second set’s closing stages and heading home to Spain.

Alcaraz revealed an abdominal muscle injury and withdrew from the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals. Carlos worked hard on his comeback, hoping to compete at the Australian Open. However, the Spaniard experienced a leg injury that sidelined him from the season’s first Major. Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud could pass Alcaraz with a deep run at the Australian Open.

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