New Delhi: World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz won his first indoor title after overcoming a spirited Alex de Minaur in the final of the Rotterdam Open played at the Rotterdam Ahoy in the Netherlands’ city on Sunday. The Spanish youngster registered a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 win to lift the ATP 500 title. This made him the first player from his country to win the tournament in 52 years.
Alcaraz broke Di Minaur’s serve in the third game, and the double fault from the Australian came to his advantage. The four-time Grand Slam winner played some ferocious strokes to move ahead in the first set. The 25-year-old de Minaur broke the serve of the top-ranked player in the seventh game and held it in the next game to level it 4-4.
Alcaraz mastered the drop shot, leaving the Australian perplexed and it was followed by a stupendous backhand winner to take the lead before eventually taking the set home. De Minaur took a 3-0 lead in the second set but squandered a few chances to get past. He clung on to his serve to give himself an opportunity to force the match to a decider.
Both players maintained the service game in the decisive set until Alcaraz broke the deadlock in the sixth game, breaking the Australian’s serve with a shrewd drop shot. The Spaniard soon clinched his 17th tour title after Di Minaur committed double fault error followed by a backhand return being caught on the net.
“This week has been a really good week all together,” Alcaraz said to his team. “Putting in really good work. Coming here [not] feeling 100 per cent well with the cold but after every day I’m feeling better and better.”
“Rotterdam has been a really special week for me. I was going to say not only for the title… yeah for the title as well, but for the support that I received here since the first day. It was the first time that I [was] playing here and you made it like I’ve been playing this tournament for a long time,” he added.
Carlos Alcaraz secured his first indoor title at the Rotterdam Open, defeating Alex de Minaur in a thrilling three-set final (6-4, 3-6, 6-2). This victory marks Alcaraz’s 17th career title and makes him the first Spaniard to win the tournament in 52 years. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
