Carlos Alcaraz concludes his season: the best, the biggest, the best and the craziest of 2022 | ATP circuit
It was a historic season for Carlos Alcarazwhose achievements in 2022 include winning his first ATP Masters 1000 title, his first Grand Slam championship and rising to world No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
To end his year, ATPTour.com asked the Spaniard for the best, biggest, coolest and craziest things that happened to him this season.
Carlos’s greatest: Finishing the year as world No. 1
Alcaraz in the Nitto ATP Finals he was recognized as the youngest year-end No. 1 in Pepperstone’s ATP Rankings history (since 1973). The 19-year-old became the first teenager to accomplish the feat.
“It means a lot to me,” Alcaraz said. “Getting this trophy, the number 1 in the world, to be part of tennis history along with many legends, for me is an incredible feeling.”
Andrea Gaudenzi and Carlos Alcaraz” />
Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
The best of Carlos: winning the US Open & Reaching World No. 1
Fans and analysts alike had Alcaraz on their radar well before the start of the 2022 season, but few could have predicted just how quickly he skyrocketed. by defeating casper ruud in it US Open final, he claimed his first major crown and with it, ATP Ranking No. 1 Pepperstone.
“It’s crazy to me. I never thought that she would achieve something like this at 19 years old. then everything [has] come so fast,” Alcaraz said. “For me it is incredible. It is something that he dreamed of since he was a child, since I started playing tennis. Of course, lifting this trophy today is incredible for me.”
Carlos Alcaraz” />
Photo Credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images
Best of Carlos: Winning the Mutua Madrid Open In front of family and friends
Alcaraz claimed five of his six tour-level titles this season. The one that hit home the most, literally, was his victory in the Mutua Madrid Open. The Spaniard defeated three of the top four players in the Pepperstone ATP Ranking — Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic Y Alexander Zverev — on his way to the trophy in front of his family and friends.
“I am a very familiar child. I have been a child that whenever I can, I prefer to be at home than elsewhere, ”said Alcaraz after his victory. “For me to celebrate this title, which is very special, with my family, with my cousins, uncles, grandparents, my whole family in general, is very, very special.”
The craziest thing about Carlos: a coach’s surprise
When Alcaraz advanced to the Miami Open presented by Itaú In the end, it was a special moment. In 2021 in his debut in Miami, the Spaniard lost in the first round. A year later he was in his first ATP Masters 1000 championship match.
The only missing piece was his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who was home mourning the loss of his father. Throughout the tournament, Alcaraz paid tribute to Ferrero and his family. The teenager was pushing for him.
“After this happened, it was hard for me, it was hard for him,” Ferrero said of not being in Miami. “And even then, he could stay on the same level and try… to stay even more focused.”
Carlos Alcaraz and Juan Carlos Ferrero” />
Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The night before the final, Alcaraz received a scare when he turned in the hotel lobby to see his coach standing there. The couple shared an emotional hug, just as they did the day after Alcaraz clinched the title.
“Juan Carlos [is a] very important person for me. On [the] professionally, personally, it helps me a lot on both sides”, said Alcaraz after his victory. “When we are together, we will talk about everything in life, everything in our sport, also football. I mean Juan Carlos, I consider him a coach and a friend too. So I can talk to him about everything.”