Rafael Nadal was the first player to qualify for November’s ATP Finals in Turin. The Spaniard has qualified for the premium ATP event for the 17th time in the past 18 years and will not be the only Spaniard in the event.
The 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz clinched the ATP Finals berth for the first time in a career, standing second in the ATP Race behind Nadal and having a chance to pass him after the US Open. Super talented Spaniard is 49-9 this season, winning four ATP titles and lifting two Masters 1000 trophies in Miami and Madrid.
Carlos kicked off the season from outside the top-30, and he did not need much time to join the world’s leading players at the top. Alcaraz celebrated the title in Rio de Janeiro, lost an epic Indian Wells semi-final to Nadal and conquered the first Masters 1000 crown in Miami.
Carlos Alcaraz will make his debut at the ATP Finals in Turin.
A teenager clinched another ATP 500 title in Barcelona and cracked the top-10 n the following day. Carlos defeated Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic en route to his second Masters 1000 crown within two months in Madrid, becoming the ATP Finals contender.
Carlos lost in the Roland Garros quarter-final and the Wimbledon fourth round. He returned to clay and lost back-to-back finals in Hamburg and Umag. He entered the top-4 with those points, standing as one of the US Open favorites.
Alcaraz is through into his first Major semi-final in New York following an epic victory over Jannik Sinner on Wednesday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Spaniard saved a match point in a 6-3, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 victory in five hours and 15 minutes, prevailing at 2:50 am in the latest US Open match ever!
The Italian led 5-3 in the fourth set and served for the victory at 5-4. He wasted a match point and lost four games in a row to keep the Spaniard in contention and miss a massive opportunity. Carlos gained a boost and sealed the deal in the fifth set to remain on the title course and move closer to becoming world no.
1. They had 42 break points, and the Spaniard played better in the decisive moments. Carlos grabbed 11 breaks from 26 chances and got broken seven times. Alcaraz kept his composure in the fourth set and sealed the deal from a break down in the decider to advance into the last four.
