ATP Finals 2022: Carlos Alcaraz assures year-end No.1 finish with Casper Rudd's victory over Taylor Fritz

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has been on a winning spree of late. While he earned his number one ranking in the ATP Singles for the first time in his career a few months back, on Tuesday, he assured his year-ending finish as the world number one. It all happened after Casper Rudd of Norway defeated Taylor Fritz of the United States of America (USA) in the group stage of the ATP Finals 2022 at Pala Alpitour in Turin on Tuesday. As a result of this number-one finish for Alcaraz, he has become the youngest lad to ensure a year-end numero uno finish at 19. Notably, he is the first teen to achieve this accomplishment.

Alcaraz began the year as world number 32 before rising to the pinnacle of the rankings on September 12. It is the most significant jump in the ATP Rankings in the last 50 years. He has surpassed the previous record-holder of the youngest year-end world number one, Lleyton Hewitt of the USA.

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Alcaraz is the 18th lad to finish the year as the world number one and the first besides the Big Four since Andy Roddick in 2003, Novak Djokovic (7), Roger Federer (5), Nadal (5) and Andy Murray (1). He is only the second Spaniard after Nadal to attain the feat.

Alcaraz, the defending Next Gen ATP Finals champion, became the youngest ATP 500 winner after winning the Rio Open earlier this year, followed by his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami. He won two Masters crowns, including the one in Madrid and clinched five overall titles in the year.

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Alcaraz was unstoppable during the US Open 2022, where he was the youngest winner since the 19-year-old Pete Sampras of the USA in 1990. Also, he was the youngest Grand Slam champion since Nadal in 2005. He holds a 57-13 this year.