Carlos Alcaraz: ‘It’s the best way to end the year’ | ATP Tour

After tightening The next Intesa Sanpaolo ATP Finals headlines on saturday, Carlos Alcaraz I have a contemplative mood when I look back on the successful 2021 season with a smile on my face.

18 years old passed Sebastian Korda in the final at the under-21 tournament in Milan to end a year that has seen him rise from 141st place in the FedEx ATP Rankings to his current career-high 32nd place.

“I feel great,” Alcaraz said after winning 4-3 (5), 4-2, 4-2 in the title match. “It’s great to end the year in the best possible way. Play great matches with great players. It was the best way to end the year.”

Under the guidance of the coach, former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz has hit the headlines in 2021. The Spaniard won his first tour-level title in Umag in July and secured a place in the quarterfinals at US Open.

While Alcaraz, the top seed at Milan, considers those moments the pinnacle, he believes the other experiences he has gained on the Tour this season have provided important foundations for his success. that.

“It’s been a really good season for me,” Alcaraz said. “I am really happy about the moments that I experienced. Defeat Stefanos [Tsitsipas] in US Open, reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam and won my first ATP championship [Tour title].

“But I don’t think this would have happened without the experience that I had in Madrid, against Rafa [Nadal]. In Acapulco, against [Alexander] Zverev. There are a lot of matches that have given me a lot of experience so that I can grow up sooner.”

Alcaraz dropped just one goal on his way to the title in Milan as he worked hard at the big points to beat tough opponents at the Allianz Cloud. The 18-year-old admits that is an area where he is focused on the game and will continue to grow.

“That’s what I’m working on,” Alcaraz said. “Juan Carlos told me that in difficult times you have to play hard and you have to try and that is what I do. I’m doing it to stay calm in the tough moments, that’s the key to winning the tough spots. You have to go for it. ”

Do you know?

Alcaraz is the youngest player to earn 32 tour-level wins in a year since Andrei Medvedev, 18 years old, went 32-11 in 1992.