Carlos Alcaraz Joins Legendary Compatriot Rafael Nadal’s Club Following US Open 2022 Success

As legendary tennis star Rafael Nadal closes into his final years of tennis, Spain has found an able successor to carry forward the legacy. 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz seems to be following in Nadal’s footsteps. After Nadal crashed out of the US Open 2022, the Spaniard is the only hope remaining for his country. The 19-year-old absorbed the pressure well and played out a classic match against Jannik Sinner.

After securing the Semifinal berth, Alcaraz has closed into a few more records of compatriot Rafael Nadal.

Alcaraz becomes the youngest after Nadal to qualify for the ATP finals

After a stunning performance in the US Open, Alcaraz has secured his place in the ATP finals this year. With this, he becomes the second youngest, only after Rafael Nadal, to qualify for the tournament. Although Nadal didn’t play in the tournament after qualification. If Alcaraz features in the tournament, he will be the youngest since Andrei Medvedev, who did it in 1993.

Notably, the ATP finals is one of the most important tournaments in the ATP calendar. This year the tournament kick starts on 13th November in Turin.

Read more: 22-Time Grand Slam Champion Rafael Nadal Turned Nintendo’s Fortunes Around With a Unique Tennis Match

Apart from this, the 19-year-old also became the second youngest after Nadal to make it to a Grand Slam semifinal.

With the future looking bright for Alcaraz, it will be interesting to see if he can take forward the legacy of Rafael Nadal.

Carlos Alcaraz to face Frances Tiafoe in the Semifinal

After his fighting victory against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinal, Alcaraz is all set to face Frances Tiafoe in the semifinal. The American also comes with boosted confidence after defeating Rafael Nadal in his round of 16 match. Further, he also overcame Andrey Rublev in an straight-set victory.

The two players played against each other last year in the Barcelona Open and Tiafoe defeated Alcaraz in straight sets. However, it’s a completely different scenario this time around. Alcaraz is a lot more mature player now and sits at world number four rank.

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With none of the big three left in the tournament, it surely is a match to watch out for. Who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments.