Alcaraz wins in Rotterdam for first indoor title

Carlos Alcaraz won the Rotterdam Open and won his first indoor hardcourt title since 2001 despite a close match with Alex de Minaur from Australia.

The Spanish top seed, age 21, won his 17th ATP title in September, his first since Beijing.

After third seed De Minaur won the second set to set the stage for a decider, the four-time Grand Slam champion had to fight valiantly for the victory.

However, Alcaraz’ sixth serve break in the final set was crucial, and he then won the following two games to earn a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory.

The current French Open and Wimbledon champion has grand slam winners on all three outdoor surfaces, including the US Open and the French Open.

Alcaraz’s latest success, in his first tournament back following defeat by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open quarter-finals, added another string to his bow.

In his first appearance at the event, he thanked the Rotterdam crowd for a “special week.” He won the prize.

For De Minaur, however, it was a second successive defeat in the Rotterdam final, after finishing runner-up to world number one Jannik Sinner last year.

De Minaur, 25, who has won nine ATP titles, said, “It’s been a lot of improvements in my game over the past couple of years and I am going to keep pushing for more.”

“It’s been two years now with this runners-up trophy, I’m hoping I will get my hands on the winner’s one day”.

At the Dallas Open in Texas, Denis Shapovalov beat second seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to secure the third, and biggest, ATP title of his career.