Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz made history at the 2022 US Open as he emerged as the champion after an impressive showing in New York. The 19-year-old defeated Casper Ruud in the final to win his first Grand Slam title ever.
Having first burst onto the scene aged 18, Alcaraz delivered a number of eye-catching performances that showed him as a potential future star. The teenager’s showing at the US Open this year was proof of his brilliance at tennis.
Alcaraz clocked over 20 hours en route to the final as he defeated Jannik Sinner and Frances Tiafoe in the quarterfinal and semifinal, respectively. His meeting with 2022 French Open finalist Casper Ruud in the final was to have far-reaching ramifications with the world number one ranking on the line.
Carlos Alcaraz started the match in good form as he took the first set 6-4 after some impressive tennis against his 23-year-old opponent. Not one to be outdone, Ruud showed his quality in the second set as he drew level with a 6-2 win over his opponent.
In the third set, Ruud and Alcaraz exchanged blows but the teenager looked as if he was beginning to tire as he committed numerous unforced errors. He showed great fight to force a tie-breaker before sealing the set 7-6. He managed to quickly wrap up the fourth set, ending the match with an ace to claim a 6-4 2-6 7-6 6-3 win.
Carlos Alcaraz becomes the second youngest man to win the US Open after Pete Sampras. He is also the youngest Grand Slam winner since Rafael Nadal won the French Open in 2005 as a 19-year-old. He becomes the number one ranked player in the world, making him the youngest player ever and first teenager to reach the ranking. His opponent Casper Ruud is the new number two player in men’s tennis, capping off an impressive season by the Norwegian.
