Carlos Alcaraz makes history again as he is confirmed as youngest year-end No 1 to end Big Four’s monopoly

ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz world No 1

In a season that has already witnessed several records from Carlos Alcaraz, the youngster has added another feather to his cap as he will become the youngest year-end world No 1 on the ATP Tour.

Alcaraz has been top of the ATP Rankings since winning the US Open in September, but Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas were in with a chance of overtaking him at the season-ending ATP Finals.

Staying top was out of the teenager’s hands as he is unable to compete at the Turin event due to an abdominal injury, but in the end it didn’t matter as Tsitsipas fell by the wayside after losing his opening match on Monday while Nadal’s hopes were ended on Tuesday after he was eliminated from the tournament after losing his first two matches.

It means Alcaraz will top the rankings when it is updated for the final time this year on December 5.

He will be 19 years and 214 days, overtaking Lleyton Hewitt as the youngest season-ending No 1 as the Australian was 20 years and 275 days when he achieved the feat in 2001.

The ATP Tour confirmed that Alcaraz will travel to Turin on Wednesday and he will receive the season-ending No 1 trophy at the Pala Alpitour.

Other Remarkable Alcaraz No 1 Stats

* Alcaraz is the first player outside of the Big Four to end the season as world No 1 since Andy Roddick achieved the feat in 2003 – and that was before the said Big Four made their breakthrough.

* The Spaniard is the 18th different player to be year-end No 1 since its inaugural year in 1973 when Ilie Nastase finished top. Novak Djokovic remains the player with the most year-end No 1 rankings with seven and he is followed by Pete Sampras (6), Jimmy Connors (5), Roger Federer (5) and Rafael Nadal (5).

* Alcaraz joins Nadal as the only Spaniards to have finished the year at the top of the ATP Rankings as the 22-time Grand Slam winner topped the list in 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019.

* Alcaraz draws level with Andy Murray (2016), Andy Roddick (2003), Gustavo Kuerten (2000), Andre Agassi (1999), Jim Courier (1992), Mats Wilander (1988) and Ilie Nastase (1973) on one year-end No 1 title.

Alcaraz started the 2022 season at No 32 in the rankings, but by May he had surged into the top 10 for the first time after winning four titles – including his first two ATP Masters events at the Miami Open and Madrid Open.

He followed it up with his best-ever runs at Roland Garros and Wimbledon as he reached the quarter-final of the French Open and fourth round at SW19.

The teenager then finished runner-up at the European Open and Croatia Open to climb into the top five and he went on to claim his maiden Grand Slam at the US Open with his victory over Casper Ruud at Flushing Meadows resulting in him becoming the youngest-ever world No 1.

He also became the youngest US Open champion since Pete Sampras (19 years and 29 days) in 1990 and was also the youngest Grand Slam champion in men’s singles since Nadal won at Roland Garros in 2005 at the 19 years and 3 days.

Alcaraz will finish the season with a 57-13 record, having beaten the likes of Djokovic, Nadal, Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev.

READ MORE: Top 10 youngest world No 1s in ATP Rankings history: Carlos Alcaraz becomes first teenager to be No 1

Carlos Alcaraz

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