Alcaraz defeats lucky loser Struff to retain Madrid Open title
20-year-old Spaniard moves closer to recovering his world No. 1 ranking
Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his Madrid Open title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff on Sunday, moving closer to recovering his world No. 1 ranking
The 20-year-old Spaniard will be back at the top of the rankings going into the French Open if he plays at least one match at the upcoming Italian Open in Rome.
It was Alcaraz's 29th win of the season, and 21st straight in Spain going back to a loss to Rafael Nadal in Madrid on his 18th birthday two years ago.
He joined Nadal as the only consecutive Madrid champion in tournament history, and is the youngest player to successfully defend a Masters 1000 title since Nadal at Monte Carlo and Rome in 2005-06.
"For me it is so, so special," Alcaraz said. "To lift the trophy here in Madrid. In my country. In front of my home crowd, my family, my friends. Everyone close to me. For me it is a special feeling that I will never forget."
Super tennis ⚡️<a href="https://twitter.com/carlosalcaraz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@carlosalcaraz</a> takes an important lead in the final set!<a href="https://twitter.com/MutuaMadridOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MutuaMadridOpen</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MMOPEN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MMOPEN</a> <a href="https://t.co/tlh1rv8Llx">pic.twitter.com/tlh1rv8Llx</a>
—@atptour"It was a really tough match," Alcaraz said. "Jan was playing great, really aggressive. In the second set I had a lot of chances to break his serve and I didn't take it and it was tough for me to lose it. I told myself that I had to be positive all the time and that I would have my chances and I think I did it in the third set."
1st lucky loser to reach ATP Masters 1000 final
The big-serving Struff was the first lucky loser to reach an ATP Masters 1000 final, having earned an unexpected spot in the main draw after another player had to drop out.
The 33-year-old German, ranked 65th in the world, was trying to become just the fourth player and first in more than 20 years to win his first tour-level trophy at a Masters 1000. It was his second
Struff beat Alcaraz on clay at the French Open in 2021, while Alcaraz needed five sets to down Struff at Wimbledon last year.
Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia won the women's doubles title by defeating top-seeded Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-4.
The unseeded winning duo upset two of the top-three seeds in Madrid.
A WTA 1000 title in their first tournament together 👏<br><br>Drink it in, <a href="https://twitter.com/vika7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vika7</a> & Bia Haddad Maia! 🏆🏆 <a href="https://t.co/7TVl2sa3Jc">pic.twitter.com/7TVl2sa3Jc</a>
—@WTA