(Barcelona) Exactly 17 years ago, an 18-year-old Spaniard by the name of Rafael Nadal began to capture the attention of the tennis world by winning the Barcelona Open and breaking into the top-10 for the first time.
Updated yesterday at 4:17 p.m.
Carlos Alcaraz emulated his compatriot and idol on Sunday, also collecting his first Barcelona title and securing his entry into the top-10 for the first time, at the same age.
Alcaraz continued their impressive push by beating fellow compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 for their third title of the season.
PHOTO JOSEP LAGO, FRANCE-PRESSE AGENCY
Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his victory by diving into the pool.
This victory came a few hours after he had completed his semi-final match which had been interrupted on Saturday due to rain.
“It means a lot. I’ve been watching this tournament since I was a kid,” Alcaraz said. I always wanted to play in this tournament and of course to be able to win this tournament. I’m really, really happy to be on the Spanish list. »
Alcaraz had two breaks of service in each of two sets to save themselves with victory, which followed triumphs he recorded in Rio de Janeiro in February and in Miami earlier in April.
Last year, he won the Umag tournament in Croatia for his first career title.
For the first time in his young career on Monday, Alcaraz will see his name in the top-10 of the ATP rankings, in ninth place, ahead of Montrealer Félix Auger-Aliassime.
As a result, he will become the youngest player to reach it since Nadal achieved the feat after winning the Barcelona Open for the first time in his career in 2005.
PHOTO JOAN MONFORT, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pablo Carreno Busta
Just like Nadal 17 years ago, Alcaraz showed up for the competition at 11and world ranking rank. Winner of 21 career Grand Slam singles tournaments, Nadal has never left the top-10 since then.
Victory on center court Rafa Nadal in Barcelona capped off a long day for Alcaraz, who needed 3hrs 39mins to see off Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6 -4 in the semi-finals, in the morning.
Carreno Busta, who is 30 years old and who was looking for a seventh career title on the ATP Tour, defeated the Argentinian Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour 39 minutes during of the other semi-final on Sunday morning.
Rain disrupted the tournament all week. The two semifinals on Saturday were suspended with identical scores of 2-2 in the first set.