Alcaraz clinches first ATP title
Carlos Alcaraz marked his return to action for the first time in almost four months with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Cameron Norrie in the final of the Argentina Open on Sunday.
It was a seventh career title for the 19-year-old Spaniard and first, since winning the US Open in September before he went on to become the youngest ever world No 1.
“I felt very comfortable playing the final,” Alcaraz said.
“I knew that it was going tobooking be really difficult. I started really focussed on what I had to do at the beginning, my game, my level. This is the level that I have to play in finals.”
A leg muscle tear at the Paris Masters in November meant Alcaraz missed the start of this season, including the Australian Open won by Novak Djokovic. He also lost his top ranking to the Serb. (Novak Djokovic).
Of his seven titles, five have come on clay and he will get the chance to quickly add another as he heads to Rio next week to defend the trophy he won in 2022.
Alcaraz is the first Spanish player to win the title in Buenos Aires since Rafael Nadal in 2015 and he did it in some style, losing just one set in his four victories all week, and that was in his first match back against Serbia’s Laslo Djere.
Sunday’s win also meant he was the first teenager to capture the Argentine cap. -AFP
