A teenager Carlos Alcaraz has achieved 20 weeks as world no. 1. Carlos is the 18th player to accomplish that, matching Mats Wilander and leaving some great names behind. However, after withdrawing from the Australian Open, the Spaniard’s reign is outside his control, with a couple of rivals targeting the ATP throne.
If Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas score win the semi-final duels on Friday, one of them will become world no. 1 on Monday and end Alcaraz’s streak. Carlos took the ATP throne by storm after conquering his first Major at the US Open last September.
Carlos has stayed at the top ever since despite slowing down in the previous year’s closing stages. The young gun kicked off 2022 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 claimed his first ATP 500 crown in Rio de Janeiro as the youngest winner on that level since 2009.
Carlos Alcaraz matched Mats Wilander’s No. 1 weeks.
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. 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. The Spaniard delivered a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory in three hours and 20 minutes to become 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.
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, he experienced a leg injury that sidelined him from the season’s first Major.
Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas are ready to take world no. 1 spot in Melbourne, showing the most so far at the Australian Open and looking good to set the title clash. Alcaraz will return to action in February on clay, entering Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro and hoping to shape up his game ahead of the season’s first Masters 1000 events.
