KEY POINTS

  • Carlos Alcaraz won the Barcelona Open on Monday
  • He defeated Pablo Carreno Busta in the final
  • It was the 8-year-old's fourth ATP title

Carlos Alcaraz, Spain’s teenage sensation, has registered a better record in ATP finals than all the Big Three: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz defeated Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-2 to claim the Barcelona Open title – his career’s fourth ATP trophy. The 18-year-old is now 4-0 in his career in ATP finals, and even more impressive is that he’s triumphed in all of those finals in straight sets – something that eluded even Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic, according to tennis.com.

Giving it a bit of historical outlook, both Nadal and Djokovic went 3-1 in their first four finals, while Federer lost three out of his first four ATP finals. And neither of the legends won those finals in straight sets.

Moreover, no one else in the current Top 10 of the ATP rankings—Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, or Cam Norrie—won their first four career finals, either.

Before winning the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz won the singles titles at Umag, Rio de Janerio, and Miami.

With his latest win in Barcelona, Alcaraz has broken into the top 10 of the ATP rankings. The Spaniard is the current World No. 9 tennis player. Alcaraz has clinched the feat at 18 years, 11 months, and 20 days, making him the ninth youngest player to do so since the inception of the ATP Rankings in 1973, according to ATP’s official website.

Alcaraz is the youngest man to enter the top 10 rankings since his idol Nadal did so aged 18 years, 10 months, and 22 days. Coincidentally, the 21-time Grand Slam winner also achieved the feat on April 25 following the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell in 2005.

Young gun: Carlos Alcaraz enjoying his victory over Matteo Berrettini
Young gun: Carlos Alcaraz enjoying his victory over Matteo Berrettini APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

"I've always been a normal guy. I'm not scared of fame, I'm not going to change the person I am. I'm happy to know that at 18 years old I'm in the Top 10, and to do it [at] the same age as my idol Rafa is impressive. I’d like to be World No. 1, a Grand Slam champion, winner of Olympic medals... I dream big," Alcaraz told ATP after his victory in Barcelona.

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