Carlos Alcaraz takes the Spanish tradition to the Club de los No. 1 of the ATP | ATP Tour

Club No. 1

From drought to a dynasty: Alcaraz maintains the Spanish tradition in the club of No. 1 of the ATP

The 21 -year -old is one of the four Spaniards who have reached No. 1

April 23, 2025

Spontaneous Question: which country has added more members to the Club of the No. 1 of the ATP in the last 26 years? It is Spain, which did not break strongly when the PIF ATP Rankings was introduced in 1973, but which has far recovered lost time.

During the first 25 years of the PIF ATP to Rankings, no Spanish reached the coveted No. 1. Everything changed in 1999, when Carlos Moyá became the first Spaniard to reach it, opened a new path and, since then, Spain has become a fixed at the top of the sport with Juan Carlos Ferrero, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

After the withdrawal of Nadal last November, Alcaraz now carries the torch of his native country as the only active Spanish in the Club of the No. 1 of the ATP. The 21 -year -old will be received as a hero this week on his return to the capital to play the Mutua Madrid Open, where he has won the title two of the last three years.

In 2021, in this same event, Alcaraz debuted in the tournament as Wild Card, in the 120th position of the PIF ATP Ranking. The Murcian won his inaugural party and won a first dream confrontation against his lifelong idol, Nadal.

It may be a result to forget to Alcaraz, who was then 17 and only won three games, but the following year he would return as a Top 10 player and another opportunity would be gained against Nadal. Alcaraz not only avenged the defeat of the previous year against Nadal, but followed that victory in the quarterfinals defeating the Novak Djokovic world in semifinals already Alexander Zverev in the final.

Alcaraz warned the best sports players that came from the top of the PIF ATP Ranking … and came fast.

Madrid scored one of Alcaraz’s five titles in a historical 2022 season. He raised his first Major crown in the US Open that September to become the youngest No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Ranking (19 years, four months).

“I never thought I was going to achieve something like that with 19 years. Everything came so fast,” said Alcaraz. “It is incredible for me. It is something I dreamed of since childhood.”

Alcaraz has spent a total of 36 weeks in No. 1, the most recent occupying the first place in August 2023. His 36 weeks place him in 17th place in the list of all time among the 29 players of the Club of the No. 1 of the ATP. In that same list, the 209 weeks of Nadal occupy the sixth place. The left -hander arrived at No. 1 for the first time in August 2008, surpassing his great rival Roger Federer in the maximum honor of tennis after spending three years in the No. 2 of the world.

Moyá was the Spanish pioneer, ascending to No. 1 just before the change of the century. Moyá, a powerful track background player with a booming right, only spent two weeks at the top, but were significant. He laid the foundations for his compatriots to reach similar achievements.

Ferrero was the second Spanish to reach the top of the PIF ATP Ranking. Known as “El Mosquito” for its speed and fineness, Ferrero amounted to No. 1 in September 2003 and reigned for eight weeks. During that period, Ferrero won the ATP Masters 1000 of Madrid, which was then played on a hard roof track. Alcaraz was only four months when his now coach, Ferrero, reached No. 1.

Nadal, a relentless competitor and the undisputed “king of the whipped earth”, established a standard of resistance, determination and sportsmanship. Its influence continues to mark Spanish tennis, including Alcaraz, who was a partner of the legend at the Paris Olympic Games last year.

“We will see at the end of my career, but it is half of what it has done [Rafa]I will be more than happy, “Alcaraz said in November, after Nadal’s last game.

Nadal, 92 times Circuit Champion, has been five times ATP YEAR-EEN No. 1 PRESENT BY PIF (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2019) throughout his career. Alcaraz received that same honor in 2022.

There is another parallel among these four Spaniards, in addition to all that have reached the World Cup No. 1. Like Ferrero, he is guiding Alcaraz, Moyá was a fundamental figure in Nadal’s career, training left -handed from 2017 until his retirement last November.

What began as a long wait for the first No. 1 of Spain has become a tradition, transmitted from one champion to another. And they are literally helping each other on that trip.

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