Carlos Alcaraz returns to No. 1 ranking with Queen's Club win.
LONDON -- Carlos Alcaraz won the Queen's Club Championships final on Sunday for his first ATP title on grass and reclaimed the top ranking, ensuring he will enter Wimbledon next month as the No. 1 seed.Despite struggling at times in the first set, Alcaraz beat Alex De Minaur 6-4, 6-4 for his fifth title of the year and 11th overall.
That saw the 20-year-old Spaniard move above Novak Djokovic in the rankings and confirmed the US Open champion as a serious challenger to the Serbian's crown at Wimbledon. Alcaraz lost in the fourth round to Jannik Sinner last year.
"The chances don't change so much. I mean, Novak is coming to Wimbledon," Alcaraz said. "Right now, I'm feeling better than the beginning of the week, that's obvious.
"Of course, recovering the No. 1 before Wimbledon, it gives you extra motivation, it gives you extra confidence coming into Wimbledon. But it doesn't change too much if I play Wimbledon as the No. 2 or the No. 1."
Alcaraz will enter Wimbledon as the second-youngest man to be seeded No. 1 since the Open Era began in 1968, after 19-year-old Boris Becker in 1987, according to ESPN Stats & Information data.
Sunday's final was Alcaraz's first on grass, in only the third tournament of his young career on the surface.
He had to save two break points in the eighth game of the first set, broke in the next game and then served out for the set.
Alcaraz won the only break point of the second set, when De Minaur double faulted, and sealed the title on his first match point when the Australian sent a return long.
"It means a lot to have my name on the trophy," Alcaraz said. "It was special to play here where so many legends have won. To see my name surrounded by the great champions is amazing."
Alcaraz has won titles on hard, clay and grass this season, making him the youngest man to win tour-level titles on hard, clay and grass in the same year since 19-year-old Mats Wilander in 1983, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
This guy is the #1 player in the world
Not LMAO
Not LMAO
Wimbledon odds
Joker -145
Alcaraz +350
Joker -145
Alcaraz +350
Grass or not.
At the moment he's not the best player in the world.
And that was proven in Paris.
At the moment he's not the best player in the world.
And that was proven in Paris.
