After reaching the final of the ATP 500 in Hamburg, Carlos Alcaraz became the ninth Spanish player to reach the Top 5 del ranking worldwide since its creation in 1973. Of that group, three were number one: Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya.
Furthermore, it became the youngest to get into the Top 5, regardless of nationality, precisely since Nadal’s own entry.
Two Masters 1000 titles (Miami and Madrid), two ATP 500 (Rio and Barcelona) and two Grand Slam quarterfinals (US Open 2021 and Roland Garros 2022) These are some of the great milestones that the Murcian has achieved in the last 52 weeks, which in the new update of the positions placed him among the five best in the world. At the same time, it may escalate further in the short term.
As a first measure, Alcaraz will play the ATP 250 in Umag as the defending champion and will be 4th in the world if he reaches the final. In case of achieving it, he will overcome what he did for Tommy Robredo (Champion of Hamburg 2006, Masters Series -1000- at that time), who was also 5th.
Likewise, there were two others who reached number three in the world: Sergi Bruguera, current Spanish Davis Cup captain, who was Roland Garros champion in the 1992 and 1993 editions, and David Ferrer -retired in 2019-, finalist in 2013 in the second Major of the year and winner of the Masters 1000 in Paris- Bercy a year earlier.
The two Spaniards who came close to leading the ranking at some point in their careers, but came to nothing more and nothing less than 2nd place went to Manuel Orantes in 1973 and Alex Corretja in 1999. “Manolo” touched that position in the year the ranking was created, however it was champion of the US Open in 1975, made the final at Roland Garros 1974 and won the ATP Finals in 1976. The one from San Cugat del Vallés, for his part, also won the Masters Tournament (1999) and twice reached the definition in the Parisian Grand Slam (1998 and 2001).
Among the three number ones in Spanish tennis, a mark that alcaraz will try to match throughout his career, they add up to a total of 24 Grand Slams. 22 for Nadal -with 209 weeks at the top-, one for Juan Carlos Ferrero -8- and Carlos Moyá -2. In turn, 14 Roland Garros: 14 for La Fiera, one for Mosquito and one for Charlie. Can Carlitos become the fourth?
