Carlos Alcaraz, the prodigy tennis player who continues to amaze: he reached 100 victories at the age of 19, a record held only by McEnroe

Carlitos Alcarazthe wonder boy who has shaken up the tennis circuit with his advances since last season, does not stop. The 19-year-old Spaniard and current number two in the world reached one hundred victories and became the second player who needed the fewest games to reach that figure. Alcaraz, top seed in the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, beat the Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-4) and 6-3 in the third round of the Californian contest and thus reached 100 wins on the circuit ( 32 losses). only american legend John McEnroe (number one in 1980) needed just one less game to sign the centenary figure (100-31).

The first victory of the prodigy tennis player born in El Palmar (Murcia) was in February 2020, at just 16 years old and 406th, in the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro against his compatriot Albert Ramos Viñolas (at that time, 41st) by 7-6 (7-2), 4-6 and 7-6 (7-2), in a battle that lasted until 3 in the morning in Rio. “A lot has happened since that first victory,” Alcaraz recalled after his success in Indian Wells against Griekspoor. And he continued, accompanied by his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero: “I am very proud of myself for having achieved these first hundred victories.”

The Murcian continues to break barriers of precocity. Last September, by becoming champion of the United States Open, he became number one in the youngest ranking in history (19 years old).

The best of Alcaraz’s victory

Alcaraz not only surpassed McEnroe in registration. The American Andre Agassi took 135 games to reach one hundred wins. Rafael Nadal, 137. Mats Wilander and Jimmy Connors, 138.

Carlitos went one step further in his intention to recover the number 1 in the world that Novak Djokovic currently occupies. Alcaraz needs to win the title in Indian Wells to return to the top of the ranking, which he lost after the last edition of the Australian Open (won by the Serb). This Thursday, for the round of 16 of the first Masters 1000 of the season, the Spaniard will face the British Jack Draper (56th). If progress is made, Alcaraz’s rival in the quarterfinals would be the winner of the duel between the American Tommy Paul (19th) and the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (10th), who defeated the Argentine Francisco Cerúndolo in the third round. (32 °) by 7-5 and 6-4.

Draper, a 21-year-old left-hander, beat his compatriot Andy Murray 7-6 (8-6) and 6-2. This result elevates him, at least, to position number 43. Now he will try to add his best victory and the first against a member of the Top 5 since he defeated, last year, the then number 5 and Greek, Stefanos Tsitsipas, in the Canadian Masters 1000. “I’m ready. I love playing those kinds of matches,” Alcaraz said. “Jack is playing very well. I played him only once in Basel, not too long ago. [el año pasado, se impuso el español por 3-6, 6-2 y 7-5]. It was very difficult. I know that I have to put my best level, I have to show my 100% to beat a great opponent like him. I think it’s going to be a really beautiful match for the crowd to watch.”

THE NATION