Spanish 17-year-old rising star Carlos Alcaraz fought back from one set down to beat Damir Dzumhur 4-6 6-2 6-1 in the final of the ATP Challenger in Barcelona on clay court at the Sanchez Casal Academy. Alcaraz clinched the second ATP Challenger title of his career on the same day, when Rafael Nadal won his 20th Grand Slam title and his 13th Roland Garros trophy.
Alcaraz won his first Challenger title on Spanish soil in front of his coach and former world number 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero and this year’s US Open semifinalist and Roland Garros quarter finalist Pablo Carreno Busta. Alcaraz clinched his first ATP Challenger title in Trieste.
At the age of 17 Alcaraz has become the fifth youngest player to win multiple titles in the history of the ATP Challenger Tour. Only Richard Gasquet, Felix Auger Aliassime, Rafael Nadal and Bernard Tomic were younger when they won the second title. Only 12 17-year-old players have won multiple titles on the ATP Challenger circuit.
Only 12 players aged 17 or under have won multiple titles on the ATP Challenger Tour. The exlusive list features Rafael Nadal, Richard Gasquet, Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Thomas Berdych, Felix Auger Aliassime and Jannik Sinner.
Alcaraz will rise to a career-high number 158 in the ATP Ranking. He has a win-loss record of 15-3 in the 18 matches he has played since the ATP Tour resumed last August.
Alcaraz began playing tennis at the age of 4 thanks to his father. He has been coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Equelite Academy since the age of 15. His idol is compatriot Rafael Nadal. At the age of 16 Alcaraz made his ATP Tour main draw debut in Rio de Janeiro, where he beat his compatriot Albert Ramos Vinolas 7-6 4-6 7-6 in three hours and 36 minutes. “I am very happy to win in Barcelona. The truth is, I did not know how it would go, because last week I lost in the second round in Biella. Little by little I gained confidence and found my form. Many thanks to my form for supporting me and pushing me throughout the week. They helped me find the level that I needed to win”, said Alcaraz.
