Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz claimed his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open on Sunday night to become the youngest man ever to be ranked world No 1.
Alcaraz and his opponent Casper Ruud went into the match with both bidding for a first Grand Slam title and to top the rankings, and it was the 19-year-old who came out on top, winning 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The Spaniard is more than a year younger than Lleyton Hewitt was when he topped the standings in 2001.
Alcaraz has thrilled fans over in New York with his acrobatic shot-making, youthful vigour and late-night finishes
“This is something I dreamed of since I was a young kid. To be number one in the world, to be the champion of a Grand Slam,” said Alcaraz.
“All the hard work I did with my team, my family. I’m just 19-years-old so a lot of the decisions are with my team, my parents. It’s something that is very special for me.”
Alcaraz admitted with a smile that he was “a little bit” tired, but said: “I always said it’s not time to be tired in the final round of a Grand Slam. You have to give everything on court, everything you have inside.”
Alcaraz, who burst into the spotlight by reaching the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows a year ago, showed that he was ready to win the biggest titles by lifting Masters trophies in Miami and Madrid, where he beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back to back, and has proved himself to be a complete player despite his tender years.
The match was played under the roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium on a rainy day in New York and Alcaraz moved into an early lead with a break in the third game.
Ruud sportingly gave his opponent a point after the umpire missed a double bounce, but Alcaraz did not really need the help as he went on to take the first set.
He then forced a break point at 2-2 in the second set but Ruud saved it and from there the momentum turned.
There were several of the all-court rallies that Alcaraz has made a habit of this tournament, and on one of them in the next game Ruud made the breakthrough.
He then made it four games in a row as Alcaraz’s energy dipped. The teenager broke early in the third but then handed it back with a tired-looking backhand into the net and for much of the rest of the set Alcaraz was hanging on.
Ruud brought up two set points at 5-6 but Alcaraz bravely saved both with forays to the net, and he found the perfect time to win his first tie-break of the tournament, albeit with a lot of help from his opponent.
The Spanish teenager has also shown remarkable powers of physical endurance during the past fortnight in New York
I’m disappointed of course that I’m not number one but number two is not too bad either and I will continue to chase for my first Grand Slam title.
Alcaraz was now right on his toes again and the pressure eventually paid off when he broke through to lead 4-2 in the fourth set before serving out his historic triumph.
The Spaniard becomes the youngest Grand Slam champion since Nadal won his first French Open title 17 years ago, and the youngest at the US Open since Pete Sampras in 1990, while this was the second youngest men’s final of the open era.
Ruud said: “It’s tough to explain everything but things have been going so well. Today was a special day. Both Carlos and I knew what was at stake.
“It’s fun that both finalists will be number two and number one. I’m disappointed of course that I’m not number one but number two is not too bad either and I will continue to chase for my first Grand Slam title.”
Hewett wins third US Open title: ‘It’s very satisfying’
Alfie Hewett claimed the men’s singles wheelchair title in New York
Britain’s Alfie Hewett won his sixth Grand Slam title in wheelchair singles at the US Open to deny Japan’s Shingo Kunieda the calendar Grand Slam.
Kunieda was looking to become the first man ever to win all four major singles titles in the same year but he fell one match short as Hewett triumphed 7-6 (7-2) 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
It gave the Norfolk player his third US Open title to go with three French Open crowns, while he has also won 15 doubles titles with Gordon Reid.
Hewett called his victory over Japan’s Shingo Kunieda ‘very satisfying’
Hewett, who had lost to Kunieda in finals in Australia and at Wimbledon, said: “It’s very satisfying.
“To have that epic in Wimbledon, and then to be just so close and not get over the line then, it certainly motivated me. I struggled a little bit with illness afterwards, but every day and every minute of every day I wanted to get back on that practice court for this, really.
“You could see that in the first set, especially, because I really wanted it. Helped calm my emotions down a little bit in the second set but it was great.
“I’m not a nasty person. I didn’t really want to take it necessarily away from him. I feel bad for him because he’s such an incredible ambassador for our sport.
“It doesn’t come around often that you get three majors in one year. He’ll know that that was his chance, but unfortunately he came up against me today. It’s probably the hungriest I have ever been for a Grand Slam.”
Barbora Krejcikova (left) and Katerina Siniakova staged a stirring comeback to lift the women’s doubles title
Czech pair Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova won their first double’s title and third major of the year, completing the career Grand Slam by rallying to defeat American duo Caty McNally and Taylor Townsend 3-6 7-5 6-1.
They finished an unbeaten season in the Grand Slams, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles but did not play at the French Open after Krejcikova tested positive for COVID-19.
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