Carlos Alcaraz looks to tie elusive Michael Chang record with Miami Open triumph
Carlos Alcaraz is used to making history.
The Spaniard is the youngest world No 1 in ATP history, the youngest man to complete the ‘Surface Slam’ – and could still become the youngest to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Now, he has the chance to hit another impressive milestone at the 2025 Miami Open.
Alcaraz has one last opportunity to emulate a historic feat not achieved since Michael Chang in 1993, and win a fourth Masters 1000 title on hard courts before his 22nd birthday.
Alcaraz’s record so far
With the Spaniard turning 22 on May 5th, the Miami Open presents the final opportunity for him to match this record.
The world No 3 won his first Masters 1000 title on hard courts, and first Masters title overall, at this very event in 2022 – defeating Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 to lift the title as an 18-year-old.
Alcaraz has since gone on to win a further four Masters 1000 titles, with two coming on the hard courts of Indian Wells – bring his total on the surface up to three.
He defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 in the 2023 final, and twelve months later beat the Russian 7-6(5), 6-1 for a second title in Tennis Paradise.
However, Alcaraz has not reached a Masters 1000 final since his second Indian Wells triumph in 2024, and will need to arrest that disappointing run of form to emulate Chang’s record.
Since his 2024 Indian Wells win, his record at hard-court Masters 1000 events is mixed, starting with a quarter-final loss to Grigor Dimitrov in Miami last season.
He skipped the 2024 Canadian Open and was beaten in round two of the Cincinnati Open – where he had finished as runner-up in 2023 – by Gael Monfils.
Alcaraz was then stunned by Tomas Machac in the quarter-final of the Shanghai Masters towards the end of 2024, followed by a round-three loss at the Paris Masters to Ugo Humbert.
Last week, the 21-year-old was a heavy favourite for a third straight title in Indian Wells and extended his winning run to 16 matches at the event, before a shock 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 semi-final loss to Jack Draper.
This fortnight, Alcaraz is the second seed in Miami – and will begin his campaign on Friday against David Goffin.
Chang’s historic run
Chang is best remembered for becoming the youngest Grand Slam men’s singles champion of the Open Era at the 1989 French Open, lifting the title as a 17-year-old.
However, the American also progressed to a further three Grand Slam finals, reached a career-high of world No 2, and was the winner of an impressive 34 ATP Tour titles.
Of those 34 titles, seven came at Masters 1000 level, with four before his 22nd birthday on February 22, 1994.
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Chang was still a teenager when he won his first Masters 1000 title at the 1990 Canadian Open, defeating Jay Berger 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(2) to lift the title.
The US star would then complete the ‘Sunshine Double’ in 1992 with triumphs in Indian Wells, beating Andrei Chesnokov 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, and then in Miami, downing Alberto Mancini 7-5, 7-5.
Chang then moved to a perfect 4-0 record in Masters 1000 finals after battling past Stefan Edberg 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 in the 1993 Cincinnati Open final – a fourth Masters title at age 21.
He would ultimately hold a 7-2 record in Masters 1000 finals, with further victories at the 1994 Cincinnati Open, and in Indian Wells in 1996 and 1997.
