Ball – Alcaraz guarantee ‘Top 5’: Nadal only for 17 years (tennis)

Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who is only 19 years old, confirmed on Saturday that in the next update of the ATP rankings (Monday, the 25th of this month) he will be the youngest player in the last 17 years – since 2005, and his compatriot Rafael Nadal – to reach ` The ‘top five’ in the hierarchy, by ensuring their presence in the final of the championship in Hamburg (Germany), which will be played on Sunday, after beating Slovakian Alex Molkan 7-6 (7-2) and 6-1.

In sixth place in the hierarchy, Carlos Alcaraz, with his victory today at Brick Dust in Hamburg, confirmed that he will overtake Norway’s Casper Ruud in the ATP ranking update, which is still topped by Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, with Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the league. Second place is Rafael Nadal in third place and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in fourth place. Behind Carlos, seventh place … Novak Djokovic.

Since 2005, when Rafael Nadal reached fifth in the standings for the first time in his career – one month after turning 19, he was still 18 – the ATP has never had a professional too young to reach the hierarchy. 17 years ago, he was specifically an idol, a citizen he trains with regularly and who actually beat Rafael Nadal at this year’s Madrid Open, which frightened the world.

Another curiosity: Carlos Alcaraz has won the five ATP finals he has played in his career: Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​all four this year, and Umag (Croatia, this is in 2021). And if he wins in Hamburg, he will surpass … Rafael Nadal, who also won four tournaments in 2022: Melbourne, Australian Open, Roland Garros and Acapulco (Mexico).

“I’m confident, I feel good. See if I can take a ‘six out of six’ win in the finals. But Lorenzo [Musetti, rival na final] “In the clouds,” a Spaniard told reporters, this Saturday, in Hamburg.

The Hamburg final will be a youth anthem, with Carlos Alcaraz as rival, across the court, having young Italian (20-year-old) Lorenzo Mossetti, 62 in the ATP hierarchy, on his side. For the first time in the finals on the ring.

Mussetti beat Argentine Francisco Cerondolo on Saturday, in the other semi-final match, 7-3 7-6 (7-3). “I didn’t even expect to play well,” said the Italian, looking forward to the duel with Alcaraz.