Carlos Alcaraz’s victory in opposition to Tallon Griekspoor on Monday on the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells was his one centesimal tour-level win, and the Spaniard’s speedy development to that milestone locations him in prestigious firm.
With his 100-32 tour-level file, the 19-year-old Alcaraz has earned second place on the listing of fewest matches to 100 wins amongst gamers to achieve No. 1 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings at some stage throughout their profession. Only American nice John McEnroe (100-31) reached his century sooner than Alcaraz, who sits above Andre Agassi (100-35), Rafael Nadal (100-37), and Mats Wilander/Jimmy Connors (each 100-38) on the listing.
To have fun his achievement, ATPTour.com appears at a few of Alcaraz’s most memorable victories from his journey to 100.
Win No. 1: ‘I Will Remember Rio Forever’
The 16-year-old Alcaraz introduced himself on the ATP Tour in spectacular vogue on the 2020 Rio Open offered by Claro, the place he battled previous his countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas for victory on his ATP Tour main-draw debut.
Then No. 406 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Alcaraz prevailed 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-6(2) in a first-round epic that completed at 3am native time in Rio de Janeiro. “I will remember Rio forever,” he later mentioned. “I am very happy to win my first ATP Tour match… There were quite difficult conditions, but if you have the right attitude, the conditions don’t matter. You can achieve anything.”
Win No. 16: A Fearless First Final
Alcaraz had solely damaged into the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings two months previous to the 2021 Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag. Yet the Spaniard had already firmly established himself as one of many prime rising skills on Tour, and his run to his maiden ATP Tour title on the clay-court ATP 250 felt like an virtually inevitable milestone second for a participant destined to rise to the very prime.
The 18-year-old Alcaraz delivered an emphatic championship match efficiency in opposition to former World No. 7 Richard Gasquet in Croatia to turn out to be the youngest tour-level champion since Kei Nishikori in 2008 at Delray Beach. Despite enjoying in his first tour-level ultimate, Alcaraz confirmed few indicators of nerves as he raced to a 6-2, 6-2 victory in opposition to the Frenchman, himself a former teen prodigy.
Win No. 22: Top 10 Takedown
Alcaraz’s third-round win in opposition to Stefanos Tsitsipas on the 2021 US Open earned the Spaniard a spot within the fourth spherical of a Grand Slam for the primary time, however that was not the one vital facet of the consequence. His 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2), 0-6, 7-6(5) triumph in opposition to the then-World No. 3 Tsitsipas was Alcaraz’s first in opposition to a Top 10 opponent and served as an announcement that the 18-year-old had already turn out to be a real risk to all on Tour.
Despite dropping the fourth set in opposition to Tsitsipas 0-6, Alcaraz regained his composure to clinch the deciding-set tie-break and turn out to be the youngest participant to achieve the fourth spherical at a serious since 1992. He went one step additional in New York, claiming one other five-set win in opposition to Peter Gojowczyk to achieve his maiden main quarter-final, the place he was compelled to retire on account of a thigh problem when trailing Felix Auger-Aliassime by a set and a break.
Win No. 51: Master In Miami
“I have no words to describe how I feel right now,” mentioned Alcaraz after downing Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 to turn out to be the third-youngest ATP Masters 1000 titlist in historical past on the 2022 Miami Open offered by Itau. The largest title of his fledgling profession as much as that time, the Spaniard dropped only one set all match to turn out to be the youngest champion within the 37-year historical past of the Miami occasion.
Alcaraz misplaced the opening three video games of the championship match in opposition to Ruud however barely seemed again from then on as he charged to a one-hour, 52-minute victory. With the win, Alcaraz rose to a then-career-high No. 11 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
Win No. 59: Resisting Rafa
In 2021, Rafael Nadal had dropped simply three video games in a dominant second-round efficiency in opposition to Alcaraz on the Mutua Madrid Open. One yr later, Alcaraz gave one other demonstration of simply how far he had include a milestone victory in a much-anticipated rematch on the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 occasion.
A day after he turned 19, Alcaraz held off a trademark Nadal fightback for a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 quarter-final win, his first in three ATP Head2Headvert conferences in opposition to his legendary countryman. “It means quite a bit to me,” said Alcaraz afterwards. “All the arduous work that I put in on daily basis pays off in the present day. To beat Rafa, to beat the perfect participant in historical past on clay, it means quite a bit to me.”
Win No. 60: Knocking Down A No. 1
Alcaraz’s path by way of the Madrid draw didn’t turn out to be any simpler even after he defeated five-time champion Nadal. Another ATP Tour nice, Novak Djokovic, stood in his approach within the semi-finals within the Spanish capital, however the 19-year-old once more outlasted a vastly extra skilled opponent for an announcement 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) win.
Alcaraz outhit Djokovic by 51 winners to 24 on the Caja Magic for his first victory in opposition to a reigning World No. 1 and his sixth straight Top 10 triumph. By notching maiden wins in opposition to two members of the fabled ‘Big 3’ on consecutive days after which downing Alexander Zverev to elevate the trophy on the Caja Magica, the Spaniard spectacularly reaffirmed his potential to persistently match the easiest on Tour.
Win No. 84: Big Moment In The Big Apple
Alcaraz battled previous Marin Cilic, Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe in three consecutive five-set epics to achieve his maiden Grand Slam ultimate on the 2022 US Open. Yet his heavy workload in New York didn’t cease him producing a remarkably assured championship-match show in opposition to Casper Ruud.
In a winner-takes-all conflict for the US Open crown and the No. 1 spot within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, Alcaraz expertly dealt with the strain as he delivered an aggressive show to earn a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 win and his place within the historical past books. “It is one thing I’ve dreamt of since I used to be a child,” he mentioned afterwards. “To be No. 1 on the planet, to be champion of a Grand Slam… It is one thing that’s actually particular for me.”
Alcaraz lifts his maiden Grand Slam trophy in New York. Photo Credit: Getty Images
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