World no. 3 Carlos Alcaraz secured his third ATP Finals berth at 21. The four-time Major champion is enjoying another incredible season, conquering the Roland Garros and Wimbledon crowns and writing new pages of record books.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Spaniard is the third player with the Turin ticket, joining world no. 1 Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev. The 21-year-old is 43-9 in 2024, lifting three notable titles and earning more records at such a young age. Alcaraz started the season in Melbourne, losing to Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final and struggling to repeat last year's results on clay in February.
Carlos overcame an injury and stood strong in Indian Wells, celebrating a Masters 1000 crown before falling to Grigor Dimitrov in Miami. Struggling with a right arm injury, the Spaniard withdrew from Monte Carlo and Barcelona, returning to action in Madrid and losing to Andrey Rublev.
Alcaraz saved his best tennis for Roland Garros, overpowering Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev from two sets to one behind en route to his third Major title.
ADVERTISEMENT
Eager for more, the young gun conquered his second consecutive Wimbledon crown, prevailing in a couple of challenging matches and facing Novak Djokovic in the title clash.
The Spaniard stormed over the Serb in the opening two sets and prevailed in the third, defending the title and becoming the four-time Major champion at 21. Alcaraz and Djokovic embraced another title match at the Olympic Games, fighting for the gold medal at Roland Garros.
It was a clash of titans, and the more experienced one prevailed 7-6, 7-6 after two hours and 50 minutes, keeping the Spaniard without Olympic glory. Carlos lost the ground and suffered early losses in Cincinnati and New York, losing points and distancing himself from the year-end no.
ADVERTISEMENT
1 battle with Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz scored two Davis Cup wins for Spain in Valencia and led Team Europe toward their fifth Laver Cup trophy, making a notable debut in Berlin and securing eight points for the blue squad.
Carlos Alcaraz joined Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev in Turin.
The Spaniard will compete as the 2nd seed at the ATP 500 event in Beijing, facing Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard in the first round on Friday.
Carlos will pass Alexander Zverev and become world no. 2 again if he achieves a good result. The four-time Major champion should compete in Shanghai, Saudi Arabia, Paris, Turin and Malaga by the end of the season, hoping to add more notable titles to his tally and reduce the deficit to Jannik Sinner.
ADVERTISEMENT
Alcaraz qualified for the ATP Finals in 2022 at 19 but missed it due to an injury. The Spaniard debuted at the premium ATP event last year, passing the round-robin stage despite a slow start and reaching the semi-final. Carlos played his first ATP Finals match against Alexander Zverev and suffered a 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 loss in two and a half hours.
The German denied five of six break points and grabbed three breaks, playing well after the opener and emerging over the top. Alexander forged the advantage with a break in the third game of the opener before Carlos pulled it back at 2-3.
Zverev saved three set points in the 12th game before Alcaraz clinched the breaker 7-3 for an early advantage after 64 minutes. Alexander secured an early break in the second set and served well for 6-3, forcing a decider and gaining a boost.
ADVERTISEMENT
The German clinched a break in the fifth game of the final set and saved a break point before holding and sealing the deal. Carlos' first ATP Finals victory came in the second match against Andrey Rublev, ousting the Russian 7-5, 6-2 in an hour and 14 minutes.
The young gun grabbed a late break in the opener and used that boost in set number two, scoring his first win since Beijing. The Spaniard dropped seven points in his games and sealed the deal with three return games on his tally.
Seeking the semi-final spot, Alcaraz took down Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 20 minutes, arranging the semi-final clash with world no. 1 Novak Djokovic. The Spaniard saved both break points and broke the Russian once in each set, controlling the scoreboard and passing the round-robin stage.
ADVERTISEMENT
Seeking a place in the final, Carlos fell to Novak 6-3, 6-2 in an hour and 28 minutes, ending his first ATP Finals campaign in the last four. Djokovic saved four break points and imposed his return, keeping the pressure on Alcaraz and welcoming the rival's mistakes.
The young gun served at 84% and drew nothing from that, losing serve three times and propelling the legend through. The Serb saved two break points in the first game of the match and held after two deuces in game five for 3-2.
Novak grabbed a break in the eighth game, opening a 5-3 gap and wrapping up the opener with an ace a few minutes later. Alcaraz missed break points at 1-1 in the second set and experienced a break, moving further away from the positive result.
The Spaniard saved a break point in the fifth game and generated two break points in the next one with a volley winner. The Serb saved them with winners and held with two more for a 4-2 advantage. Carlos struggled on serve in the seventh game, spraying a forehand error and getting broken, sending Novak closer to the top. Djokovic held at 15 in the eighth game, moving into his ninth ATP Finals title clash.
