Only Martina Navratilova, who spent a staggering 1000 weeks at the top of the world rankings, amassed more days at the top.
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After a lengthy 934 weeks, Rafael Nadal has departed the top ten in the ATP rankings. Following his victory over Daniil Medvedev in the BNP Paribas Open Title on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz has reclaimed the top spot, and the Spaniard has dropped to position 13 in the rankings. Only Martina Navratilova, who spent a staggering 1000 weeks at the top of the world rankings, amassed more days at the top. The last time Nadal dropped out of the ATP top-10 rankings was in 2005.
On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz won the BNP Paribas Open for the first time, capping a dominant run that may have been the most lopsided of the competition with a stunning 6-3, 6-2 victory over Daniil Medvedev. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who went undefeated in six matches at Indian Wells, will reclaim the top spot in the world in Monday’s ATP Rankings thanks to his trophy win. Alcaraz is the ninth and youngest person to have won both legs of the Sunshine Double in his career, Indian Wells and Miami. He is currently a three-time ATP Masters 1000 champion and the current champion in Miami and Madrid. He joins fellow countryman Rafael Nadal as the only athletes to have captured at least three Masters 1000 titles while still a teenager, with Nadal having accomplished this feat six times before turning 20.
“It means a lot to me. To recover the No. 1 [ranking] is crazy for me,” Alcaraz said after wrapping up the win in a rapid one hour, 10 minutes. “But especially to lift the trophy here for me means a lot… I love this tournament. I really enjoy my time here and of course I felt the love from the people from day one. For me, it’s amazing to complete these 10 days like this.”
In an all-action win, Alcaraz out-hit Medvedev 18 to 5, scoring 10 of the 13 net points. Taking advantage of his opponent’s deep court position, the Spaniard frequently had success with his patented drop shot. Overall, Medvedev’s performance was a little perplexing considering he played some of his best tennis of the year against Frances Tiafoe in the semi-finals on Saturday.
As Alcaraz expertly handled the windy desert conditions, Medvedev’s 19-match and three-tournament winning streak came to an end. The top seed’s patient but aggressive game plan paid off with an early break in both sets. Alcaraz jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first set before winning the first 10 points of the second to take a 4-0 lead.
“Of course winning a tournament, it gives you a lot of confidence [entering Miami],” the Spaniard said, looking ahead to the year’s second ATP Masters 1000 event. “I’m playing great. Of course today, the conditions today were pretty tough. Of course Daniil didn’t play at his best, obviously. All I can say is I’m really happy with my performance, the way that I [was] playing this tournament. I’m looking forward to playing this level in Miami as well.”
