| (November 16, 2022) ATP Tour (TURIN) – Carlos Alcaraz was crowned year-end ATP No. 1 presented by Pepperstone on Wednesday evening at the Nitto ATP Finals. The Spaniard received the trophy from ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi in a special ceremony at the Pala Alpitour. The 19-year-old is the first teen and youngest player in history to accomplish the feat (since 1973). “It means a lot to me,” Alcaraz said. “To get this trophy, the World No. 1, to be part of tennis history along with a lot of legends, for me [it] is an amazing feeling.” Alcaraz has enjoyed an unforgettable rise in 2022, ascending from World No. 32 at the start of the year to the top of the men’s standings on 12 September. That represents biggest jump to No. 1 in a single season across 50 editions of the year-end Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Before this year, the youngest year-end ATP No. 1 was Lleyton Hewitt in 2001. The Australian was aged 20 years, 275 days when he did it. Alcaraz will be 19 years, 214 days on 5 December 2022, the official year-end ranking date. Alcaraz is the first player to achieve the feat outside the Big Four of Novak Djokovic (7), Roger Federer (5), Nadal (5) and Andy Murray (1) since 2003 and the 18th overall. The 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion made an early splash this year when he became the youngest ATP 500 champion in series history (since 2009) at the Rio Open presented by Claro. The Spaniard followed that victory with his maiden ATP Masters 1000 triumph in Miami. Alcaraz led the Tour with two Masters 1000 crowns (Miami and Madrid) and five titles overall in 2022. In Madrid, he eliminated Nadal, Djokovic and then-World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in consecutive matches to lift the trophy. Alcaraz’s biggest title run was at the US Open, where he became the youngest men’s singles winner since 19-year-old Pete Sampras in 1990. He is the youngest Grand Slam champion in men’s singles since 19-year-old Nadal at Roland Garros in 2005. The teen completed his year with a 57-13 record, including nine wins from 14 matches against Top 10 opponents. Andrea Gaudenzi, ATP Chairman, said: “Finishing as year-end No. 1 is the ultimate achievement in our sport. To accomplish it at only 19 years old is an incredible feat that fans will remember for years to come. His journey from 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion to World No. 1 in less than a year has been nothing short of incredible. Carlos has made history — congratulations to him and his team.” |
