Sergi Bruguera (1997), Carlos Moyá (2003), Rafa Nadal (2005, 08,11, 14 and 17) and David Ferrer (2013) tried unsuccessfully to be champions in Miami. At 18 years and 11 months old, Carlos Alcaraz will have the opportunity on Sunday (7:00 p.m., #Vamos) to win the title that escaped those great Spanish tennis legends in the men’s draw (Arantxa Sánchez Vicario triumphed in the women’s in 1992 and 1993). The Murcian didn’t even have to be epic to beat the current tournament winner, Hubert Hurkacz, and get into his first Masters 1,000 final. With just the strength after a very tough duel in the quarterfinals the day before against Miomir Kecmanovic, he stayed in the match with an unusual skill for his age and beat the 1.96 tall Polish giant, a magnificent server, in two tiebreaks: 7- 6 (5) and 7-6 (2) in two hours and two minutes. Casper Ruud, a 23-year-old Norwegian and number 8 in the world, will be his rival in the fight for the title. The pearl of the Navy beat him in her only duel to date, last year in Marbella (6-2 and 6-4).
Alcaraz will be the second youngest finalist in the tournament after Nadal (18 and 10 months in 2005), who was the one who separated him from the match for the trophy in Indian Wells two weeks ago. If he is proclaimed champion, there will have been no one younger than him in the 37-year history of the Miami Open (1985-2019, 2021-22). He is also the fifth-earliest finisher at Masters 1,000 and He would be the third youngest winner in the category tour (1990-2022) after Chang (18 and 157 days in Canada 1990) and Nadal (18 and 318 in Monte Carlo 2005).
Youngest finishers in Masters 1,000
| Player | Year | Tournament | Age | Result | |
| 1 | Michael Chang (EE UU) | 1990 | Toronto | 18 years, 157 days | Champion |
| 2 | Rafael Nadal (Spa) | 2005 | Miami | 18 years, 304 days | Finalist |
| 3 | Rafael Nadal (Spa) | 2005 | Montecarlo | 18 years, 318 days | Champion |
| 4 | Richard Gasquet (Fra) | 2005 | Hamburg | 18 years, 331 days | Finalist |
| 5 | Carlos Alcaraz (Esp) | 2022 | Miami | 18 years, 333 days | ¿? |
His victory against Hurkacz, which was conceived based on patience and control of emotions in a very different match from the one he had played against Kecmanovic, without rhythm or long exchanges, is the sixth in 12 duels against the top-10. Alcaraz doesn’t have bad shots, he has them all good or very good. The drive usually works great for him, although this time he lacked energy to make it even more definitive. The reverse handles it with mastery both parallel, as crossed or cut. Not to mention the drop shots, a luck he trusts with blind faith. He serves better than most tennis players at his age and has no negative gestures, even if things are not going so well for him.
merit and patience
In the face of all this, Hurkacz surrendered, who had just beaten number two, Daniil Medvedev, and had accumulated 13 victories at the Miami Open between singles and doubles. In fact, he will play together with the American Isner the final in pairs. At times, Charly had a hard time interpreting the services of the disciplined tennis player from Wrocław, 25 years old and ten in the world, strong, varied and placed. Any other rival would have despaired. Alcaraz No. That is why he was able to prevail in a match without a break and in turn save the three break chances that Hurkacz had. This time it was about failing less and contained unforced errors (21). On Sunday, one last effort awaits him with a rest day. A duel of academies, Juan Carlos Ferrero’s Equelite, which follows the one from El Palmar from a distance and to whom he once again dedicated the victory, against Ruud’s Rafa Nadal Academy. Whatever happens, Carlitos is already there: he is 12th in the world and could be 11th. And he moves up to third in the ATP Finals race, with a shot at second if he lifts the trophy. Impressive for a teenager.
Results of the Miami Masters 1,000.
