CNN
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Carlos Alcaraz is ready to turn into the youngest year-end No. 1 within the historical past of males’s tennis after Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the ATP Finals.
On the age of 19 years and 214 days, US Open champion Alcaraz surpasses Lleyton Hewitt’s document of ending the yr as world No. 1 aged 20 years and 275 days in 2001.
Alcaraz is lacking this yr’s ATP Finals in Turin, Italy as he continues his restoration from an belly harm sustained on the Paris Masters earlier this month, however compatriot Nadal’s early exit from the event means he nonetheless has trigger to have fun.
{The teenager} has loved a sensational yr, profitable 5 ATP titles and turning into the youngest No. 1 in males’s tennis when he gained his first grand slam title in New York.
Nadal might have leapfrogged Alcaraz on the prime of the world rankings with victory in Turin this week, however after he misplaced 6-3 6-4 in opposition to Felix Auger-Aliassime on Tuesday and Casper Ruud gained a set in opposition to Taylor Fritz, the 36-year-old bowed out of the event.
Nadal has struggled for type because the US Open in September and in opposition to Auger-Aliassime fell to his fourth consecutive feat since 2009.
It follows a straight-sets loss to Taylor Fritz in Turin earlier this week and defeats in opposition to Tommy Paul on the Paris Masters and Frances Tiafoe on the US Open.
“I don’t suppose I forgot easy methods to play tennis, easy methods to be sturdy sufficient mentally,” Nadal instructed reporters on Tuesday.
“I simply must get better all these optimistic emotions and all this confidence and all this sturdy mentality that I must be on the stage that I need to be.
“I don’t know if I’m going to succeed in that stage once more. However what I don’t have any doubt [about] is that I [am] going to die for it.”
Nadal had probabilities to take the lead in opposition to Auger-Aliassime, however did not convert 4 break factors within the first set. The Canadian moved 5-3 forward when he broke Nadal’s serve and wrapped up the set shortly after for an early lead.
Within the second set, Auger-Aliassime broke Nadal at 1-1, then consolidated his benefit the next recreation with three aces in a row.
The world No. 6 hit 15 aces all through the match and proceeded to serve out for the win in shut to 2 hours.
It means Auger-Aliassime stays in competition to progress past the teams levels on the ATP Finals regardless of shedding to Ruud in his opening match on Sunday.
