Until the end, Jan-Lennard Struff proved that he was not there by chance. The German, 65th in the world and lucky loser, took a set from Carlos Alcaraz and pushed the Spaniard to his limits in the final of the Masters 1000 in Madrid. But in the end, it was the younger of the two who won in three sets (6-4, 3-6, 6-3).
Alcaraz, 20 years old for two days, won the tenth title of his young career, his fourth in Masters 1000, and his fourth of the season, after Buenos Aires, Indian Wells and Barcelona.
One match in Rome for world number one
Three weeks before Roland-Garros (May 28-June 11), the young Spaniard has accumulated 19 victories in twenty matches on clay in 2023. On the European ochre, he is even undefeated: from Barcelona to Madrid, he has just lined up eleven successes. His only defeat on the surface was in February, in the final in Rio, against Britain's Cameron Norrie.
"Carlitos" is close to becoming world No. 1 again: back on the heels of Novak Djokovic on Monday, he will only need to play one match at the Masters 1000 in Rome next week to be assured of reinstalling himself on the throne of world tennis at the end of the Italian tournament. Alcaraz didn't play in Rome a year ago, when Djokovic won.
- Sport
- Tennis
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Masters 1000