Carlos Alcaraz spoke to NDTV after the US Open win.© AFP
Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz wrote his name in history books on Sunday night when he claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open to become the youngest man to rise to the world no. 1 ranking. The 19-year-old showed tremendous to defeat Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1) in the final. Alcaraz, the first teenager to claim the top ranking, is the youngest Grand Slam men’s champion since his idol Rafael Nadal at the 2005 French Open. On a day of landmarks, he is also the youngest champion in New York since Pete Sampras in 1990.
“It feels great. My dream has come true. No words to describe the feeling,” Carlos Alcaraz told NDTV. “I just had dinner with family friends. We had a great time together. I will remember for the rest of my life. The nerves were there.”
“Practising everyday, giving your 100 per cent to stay at the same level for a year. Practice is the key.”
On Sunday, he claimed the record for most time spent on court at a single Grand Slam, passing the 23 hours and 21 minutes it took Kevin Anderson to finish runner-up at Wimbledon in 2018. Most of his 23 hours and 40 minutes were taken up by the more than 13 hours it took him to play three successive five-setters to reach the final. He saved a match point in his five-hour 15-minute quarter-final win over Jannik Sinner.
Promoted
The US Open is Alcaraz’s fifth trophy of 2022 following Masters triumphs in Miami and Madrid as well as Rio and Barcelona. It was in Madrid that he announced himself as a serious threat to the sport’s heavyweights when he became the first man to defeat Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the same claycourt event. Still in his teens, his career earnings are already close to $10 million.
With AFP inputs
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Source link: https://sports.ndtv.com/us-open-2022/carlos-alcaraz-us-open-champion-and-world-no-1-tennis-player-speaks-to-ndtv-3338696