Carlos Alcaraz confirmed as youngest year-end No. 1 as Rafael Nadal is eliminated from ATP Finals
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Updated 15/11/2022 at 21:24 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz will finish 2022 as the No. 1 player on the ATP Tour. The 19-year-old is not playing the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin due to injury but has been confirmed as the year-end No. 1 after Casper Ruud won a set against Taylor Fritz, which eliminates Rafael Nadal from the tournament. Both Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas had a chance to snatch the No. 1 ranking from US Open champion Alcaraz.
‘Fighting for biggest titles and winning them’ – Ruud impressed by Alcaraz and Rune
Carlos Alcaraz has been confirmed as the youngest-ever year-end No. 1 on the ATP Tour.
The 19-year-old will finish a hugely impressive season atop the rankings after Rafael Nadal was eliminated from the Nitto ATP Finals.
Nadal needed to at least make the final to have a chance of snatching top spot from Alcaraz, who is not playing in Turin due to injury.
But by virtue of Casper Ruud winning a set against Taylor Fritz, Nadal cannot progress from the Green Group after losing both his matches.
Alcaraz started the year ranked at No. 32, but has soared to the top on the back of five titles.
He won clay events in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona, along with Masters titles in Miami and Madrid, where he beat Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev in successive matches.
Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam at the US Open, coming through three consecutive five-set contests before beating Ruud in the final to take the world No. 1 ranking.
The previous youngest year-end No. 1 was Lleyton Hewitt in 2001. He was 16 months older than Alcaraz.
Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas both had the chance to become No. 1 in Turin, but Tsitsipas’ chances were ended after his opening defeat to Djokovic.
Tsitsipas has said he is not in a "rush" to get to the top of the rankings.
“I deeply believe that I can reach that spot one day. I'm not really that much in a rush, to be honest.
"Of course, it would have been better if it happened this week...I am more here for the marathon. I see the bigger picture, the longer run.
"I have a lot of opportunities next year to play some good tennis. If it comes, I'll be very happy, my country will be very happy, my family will be happy.”
It remains to be seen whether Nadal will play his final group match against Ruud following his elimination.
Nadal has lost his last four matches in a row and would be replaced by Holger Rune if he pulls out.
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