Alcaraz breezes past Zverev in Madrid to secure his fifth ATP crown

Carlos Alcaraz secured his fifth ATP Tour title and second Masters 1000 crown by cruising past defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 at the Madrid Open on Sunday.

Alcaraz became the first player to ever defeat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in consecutive matches en route to the final in the Spanish capital. Zverev on his part edged out Stefanos Tsitsipas to make the final.

Zverev, a two-time winner in Madrid in 2018 and 2021, boasted a 2-0 head-to-head record over Alcaraz on the ATP Tour heading into the clash on Sunday.

But it was the 19-year-old who seized the early initiative.

Alcaraz struck first with a break to go 4-2 up after a dipping backhand evaded the reach of Zverev.

The German could not muster a response as the Spaniard served out a dominant first set.

The teenager continued in commanding fashion in the second set.

He delivered a deft drop shot to break Zverev, who missed two straightforward volleys and produced a double-fault to fall 4-1 down.

World number three Zverev managed to save three match-points, but a double-fault then handed Alcaraz victory in just 62 minutes.

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He thus became the youngest five-time tour winner since Nadal won seven titles by the same age in 2004/2005.

Alcaraz leads the way for wins in the 2022 season as his 10th straight triumph and seventh consecutive victory over top-10 ranked players takes him to 28 for the campaign. That is one more than Tsitsipas.

He is also the second-youngest player to win two ATP Masters 1000 titles, after triumphing in Miami in March.

He will rise to second in the Race to Turin as he seeks his debut at the prestigious end-of-season event in November.

NAN