US Open: Carlos Alcaraz reflects on ‘crazy’ triumph after beating Casper Ruud in final
- ‘Everything has come so fast,’ 19-year-old says after becoming youngest ever men’s world No 1 with four-set victory
- He occasionally looked tired after draining campaign, but lifted in a third-set tiebreaker and never looked back
Carlos Alcaraz called it “crazy” and a “dream” after the 19-year-old became the youngest men’s world No 1 in history by defeating Casper Ruud in the US Open final on Sunday.
It was Alcaraz’s first grand slam final, and in the process he broke the record for the most cumulative court time at a single grand slam after grinding through three consecutive five-set matches in the lead-up to the four-set final.
“Well, it’s crazy for me,” he said after beating Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3. “I never thought that I was going to achieve something like that at 19 years old – everything has come so fast.
“For me it’s unbelievable. It’s something I’ve dreamed since I was a kid, since I started playing tennis. Of course, lifting this trophy today is amazing for me.
“Right now I’m enjoying the moment – I’m enjoying having the trophy in my hands – but, of course, I’m hungry for more.