MADRID, May 09 (AP): When Carlos Alcaraz played in his first Madrid Open as an 18-year-old, his goal was to gain experience and learn from the top players.
Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz rose three places to sixth in the men's ATP rankings following his victory in the Madrid Open on Sunday.
The 19-year-old's 6-3, 6-1 trouncing of Germany's Alexander Zverev in Madrid was his fourth title of the year and rubber-stamped his chances of lifting his first Grand Slam in the upcoming French Open.
He had beaten his compatriot Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the way to the final.
The only worry for Alcaraz is a sore ankle which will see him miss this week's Rome tournament in order to be fit for the French Open which gets underway on May 22.
Only a year later, Alcaraz already feels he belongs among the best.
The Spanish teenage sensation capped another impressive week with a straight-set victory over Alexander Zverev on Sunday to win the Madrid Open and become the second-youngest player to win two Masters 1000 titles.
His comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win over Zverev followed victories over his idol Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.
"Last year I was going through these experiences for the first time, playing against the best players, playing in the Masters 1000, and I learned a lot," Alcaraz said. "Now it's different. I go onto the court knowing that I can win, with the confidence that I can win at any moment."
Alcaraz became the youngest winner in Madrid, and the second youngest to win two Masters 1000 trophies after Nadal won in Monte Carlo and Rome in 2005 as an 18-year-old. Alcaraz had already become the youngest to enter the top 10 since Nadal did it in 2005.
"It feels great to be able to beat these players," the 19-year-old Alcaraz said.
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