This year Carlos Alcaraz is on a quest to take back the number one spot in the ATP rankings, a spot which he hasn’t held since August of 2023. After a disappointing Australian Open, Carlos Alcaraz chose to participate and came out triumphant in this year’s Rotterdam Open. It became obvious how important the ranking was in the first Grand Slam of the season, seeing as if Alcaraz would’ve got past Djokovic, he would’ve had to play Zverev in the Semi-finals and eventually Jannik Sinner in the final. On the other hand, world number one Jannik Sinner had a much easier path to the title, in which he only had to play two top 10 players to clinch the title. Even if the Rotterdam Open is “only” an ATP 500 tournament, Alcaraz managed to significantly shorten the gap between him and Jannik Sinner. Seeing as Carlos hadn’t participated in the tournament last year and Sinner wasn’t defending the title this year, Alcaraz has now shortened the gap by a total of 900 points. Alcaraz won’t shorten it by a full 1000 points because he won’t be defending the 100 points he gained last year in Buenos Aires by reaching the semi-finals.
Early rounds
In the round of 32 Carlos Alcaraz was very unlucky with the draw, as he had to face Botic van de Zandschulp, who seemed to be his kryptonite after beating Alcaraz in straight sets in last year’s US Open. In a tough first set, Alcaraz managed to take the advantage and win the tiebreak. Then Botic van de Zandschulp capitalized on Alcaraz’s shaky performance filled with unforced errors, by taking the second set 6-3. As the players went the distance Alcaraz stepped up his game, dominated the third set winning 6-1 and came out victorious. In the round of 16 and quarter-final Alcaraz convincingly beat Andrea Vavassori and fellow Spaniard Pedro Martínez both 6-2 in the first and 6-1 in the second set.
Decisive matches
Carlos and Hubert Hurkacz produced an instant classic in the semi-finals. Alcaraz took the first set after completing an astonishing comeback by winning five games in a row after being down 1-4. Hurkacz fired back, winning the second set, by using his great serve to his advantage in the tiebreak. In the deciding set Alcaraz broke early and kept Hurkacz at bay by serving better. Alcaraz reached the final and faced world number eight (now six) Alex de Minaur. Carlos once again came up clutch and won the match in the third set, securing his first indoor hardcourt title, a surface which has proven to be rather challenging for the 21-year-old.
What’s next?
Coming up next in Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 calendar is the Qatar Open, another ATP 500 tournament in which he will attempt to prevail amongst his biggest rivals Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
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