Carlos Alcaraz wins 2022 Rio Open

Carlos Alcaraz (YouTube)

Carlos Alcaraz of El Palmar, Spain is a rising star on the ATP Tour. At only 18 years of age, he has already reached the quarterfinals of the 2021 U.S. Open, beaten American Sebastian Korda in the Next Generation ATP Finals in Italy, and won the 2021 Croatian Open, where he beat Richard Gasquet of France in the final 6-2, 6-2. In the fall in Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz delivered a significant upset, where beat 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, in the third round, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 0-6, 7-6.

This past week in South America, Alcaraz won the biggest title of his ATP career, as he won the 2022 Rio Open. In the final, Alcaraz beat another clay court specialist, the 2020 French Open semifinalist, Diego Schwartzman of Argentina, 6-4, 6-2. Seeded seventh, Alcaraz broke Schwartzman five times, won 76% of his first serve points and had zero double faults.

Alcaraz actually becomes the second straight player to win an ATP 500 level tournament without having a double fault in the final. Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada had zero double faults a week ago when he clobbered Stefanos Tsitsipsas of Greece, to win the Rotterdam Open, 6-4, 6-2. 

En route to beating Schwartzman on Sunday, Alcaraz beat Jaume Munar of Spain 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the first round, Federico Delbonis of Argentina 6-4, 7-6 in the second round, the tournament’s first seed and reigning Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals, and Fabio Fognini of Italy, 6-2, 7-5 in the semifinals.

Alacaraz is also the third Spaniard to win the Rio Open. Rafael Nadal beat Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine in the 2014 final, 6-3, 7-6. David Ferrer beat Fognini in the 2015 final, 6-2, 6-3.

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