Carlos Alcaraz is in contention for the 2023 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award. Carlos is among six nominees, alongside the Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Alcaraz had an incredible run in 2022, starting the season from outside the top-30 and finishing as the youngest year-end no. 1 in ATP history! Carlos claimed his first Major trophy at the US Open, becoming the first teenager with a Major crown since Rafael Nadal in 2005. The Spaniard embraced 20 weeks on the ATP throne before Novak Djokovic passed him after this year’s Australian Open. The youngster made impressive progress through the list in the past three years. He kicked off the 2022 season from just outside the top-30 and hoped to finish it in the top-15. Instead, he took the ATP throne and wrote history books. The Spaniard suffered a tight loss to Matteo Berrettini at the Australian Open before conquering his first ATP 500 crown in Rio de Janeiro as the youngest winner on that level since 2009.
Carlos Alcaraz is the 2023 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award Nominee.
The young gun pushed Rafael Nadal to the limits in the Indian Wells semi-final before losing after over three hours. Carlos went further in Miami and became the third-youngest Masters 1000 champion after Michael Chang and Rafael Nadal! Alcaraz did not have to wait to lift another notable trophy, conquering Barcelona at the end of April for back-to-back ATP 500 titles. He cracked the top-10 with those points and joined the elite players who have achieved that before turning 19. Not stopping there, the youngster lifted another Masters 1000 shield in front of the home fans in Madrid after beating Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev within three days! Carlos became the world no. 1 contender and added more valuable points with the Roland Garros quarter-final. Alcaraz lost back-to-back ATP finals on clay in July and came to the US Open as world no. 4. He saved a match point in the quarter-final thriller against Jannik Sinner to extend his journey.
Carlos overpowered Frances Tiafoe in the semi-final and advanced to his first Major final. Alcaraz fought for the ATP throne and a Major title against Casper Ruud and scored a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 victory in three hours and 20 minutes. After this incredible success, the Spaniard slowed down a bit, resting his body and hoping for a good run in Basel and Paris. Carlos lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the Basel semi-final and reached the quarter-final in Paris. He injured his left abdominal wall against his coeval Holger Rune, retiring in the second set’s closing stages and returning to Spain. After further checks, Alcaraz revealed an abdominal muscle injury that sidelined the youngest world no. 1 from the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals. Carlos injured his leg while preparing for the season’s first Major in Melbourne. He skipped it and lost the ATP throne to Novak Djokovic. Alcaraz returned to action last week in Buenos Aires and secured his seventh ATP title.Ā