Teenage tennis sensation Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz created history by beating Rafael Nadal and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic anden route to the Madrid Open final where he brushed aside Alexander Zverev quite comfortably.
Making history
Carlos Alcaraz beat German Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 in just 62 minutes in the final to create history.
He has now become the 2nd-youngest player to win 2 ATP Masters 1000 titles. Rafael Nadal, who achieved the feat at 18 in 2005, is the youngest player to win 2 ATP Masters 1000 titles.
Alcaraz also became the youngest player to win 5 ATP Tour titles since Nadal did it back in 2004-05.
Alcaraz has now recorded 7 straight wins vs Top 10 since 29 March, 2022 which is a feat not many have been able to achieve in contemporary tennis. He is the first player to beat Alex Zverev in straight sets at the Madrid Open.
Eyes set on bigger goals
"Right now I'm trying to just assimilate everything that I am going through," Alcaraz said after the historic win. "This year, people are going to think that I'm going to be one of the favourites to win Roland Garros. I don't have it as tension, I have it as a motivation. I really look forward to going to Paris, to fight for the Grand Slam, and I am really looking forward to show my great level in a Grand Slam, too."
"Look at Rafa, Djokovic, Federer, all of them improve and they have things to improve. That's why they are so good, and that's why they continue to spend so much time up there, because they don't stop. That's what I want to do."
A forgettable outing for Zverev
Alexander Zverev, the world No 3, who is himself tipped to be among the best in the world and in contention to be at the apex after the Big Three hang their boots, had a terribly off day. Still it requires special skill and composure to beat somebody like Zverev so nonchalantly in little over an hour.
“Right now, you are the best player in the world,” Alexander Zverev, the world No 3, said about Alcaraz. “This is tennis. You cannot be perfect every day. Even though I lost quite badly today, this is still my favourite court in the world,” Zverev signed off.
