Carlos Alcaraz believes watching boyhood idol Rafael Nadal helped him become the the youngest ever Miami Open champion.
Alcaraz, who turns 19 next month, on Sunday showed why many believe he is the hottest young prospect in men’s tennis with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over world No. 8 Casper Ruud of Norway to land a first ATP Masters crown.
Only two men have won titles at that level at a younger age — Michael Chang, who was 18 years and five months old when he won in Toronto in 1990, and Rafael Nadal, 18 years and 10 months when he was victorious in Monte Carlo in 2005.
Photo: Geoff Burke-USA Today
Alcaraz dropped just one set on the way to his Miami triumph and was heading off to compete on his preferred surface of clay buoyed by the biggest win of his career.
There is a long way to go before even getting close to replicating the legendary career of 21 Grand Slam-winning compatriot Nadal, but Alcaraz says he plans to have fun trying.
“I have always looked up to Rafa, I always watched his big moments and matches, and learned a lot from that,” said Alcaraz, who received a congratulatory telephone call from Spain’s King Felipe VI, after a famous win which saw him collapse to the floor upon winning the final point.
“When I fell to the floor, all the times I have dreamed of this came to me,” added Alcaraz, beaten by Nadal in the semi-finals at Indian Wells last month.
Nadal was among the first to congratulate Alcaraz upon his win on Sunday, hailing a “historical” triumph.
“The first of many to come I’m sure,” Nadal wrote on Twitter.
Much is expected of Alcaraz, whose passionate, all-energy displays in the latter stages of the Miami Open energized the Florida crowd. He said afterward that his target now is to win a Grand Slam — and this was certainly a good start.
“I didn’t expect to reach the final so I can’t be too upset,” Norwegian Rudd said. “Carlos is very aggressive and a great mover. You think you’ve hit a winner, but he is there to return it.”
Alcaraz, who reached the last eight at the US Open last year, is already being tipped to help fill the superstar void when the likes of Roger Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic finally depart the stage.
“New blood is welcome,” said Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former world No. 1. “I have known about his potential for the last three years so I am not surprised, but it has all happened very fast.”
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