How does Carlos Alcaraz's record after 100 matches compares with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic's?
Carlos Alcaraz has had a fabulous start to his young career. The 19-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the game.
Alcaraz has enjoyed a breakthrough 2022 campaign since winning his maiden title in Umag last year. The teenager has triumphed at two ATP 500 tournaments - Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona, and two Masters 1000 events - Miami and Madrid. Alcaraz has also fared well at Majors - reaching at least the third round in all three events this year.
The World No. 4 made the third round at the Australian Open, quarterfinals at Roland Garros and the fourth round at Wimbledon. He has reached the final at two ATP events since his last 16 run at SW19 - Hamburg and Umag.
On Sunday, Alcaraz played his 100th match of his career against Jannik Sinner in the Umag final as he looked to defend a title for the first time. After taking the first set on a tiebreak, Alcaraz, however, ran out of steam, winning only two games in the remainder of the match as Sinner won his first title of the year.
@janniksin @CroatiaOpenUmag The moment @janniksin won his first title on clay! π
@CroatiaOpenUmag | #CroatiaOpenUmag https://t.co/KK5o2ZiKh8
This came a week after Alcaraz lost to another Italian - Lorenzo Musetti - in the Hamburg title match. Despite his defeat to Sinner, Alcaraz has a stellar 75-25 record after 100 matches.
On that note, let's take a look at how Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic - three of the greatest players of all time - fared after 100 matches:
Disclaimer: Carlos Alcaraz has a better record than all three players after 100 matches.
# Roger Federer: 51-49 (Won his 100th match)
Roger Federer is regarded by many as one of the finest players to have graced a tennis racquet.
The 40-year-old has had a storied career, winning 20 Majors, 28 Masters 1000s and six ATP Finals titles, among countless others. He's one of only five male players in the Open Era to have won a career Grand Slam, accomplishing the feat in 2009 at Roland Garros.
Federer, who has a 1251-275 record and won 103 singles titles, made his ATP Tour debut in 1998 as a 16-year-old in Gstaad, where he lost to Lucas Arnold Ker in straight sets. He fared better at his next stop in Toulouse - losing to Jan Siemerink in the quarterfinals. Unlike Alcaraz, he struggled in his early career, enduring a lot of losses and not winning a title before playing his 100th match.
Two years after his tour debut, Federer reached his first final in Marseille - the first-ever All-Swiss ATP final - losing to compatriot Marc Rosset in a third-set tiebreak.
On this day, February 13, 2000, in Marseille, a 19-year-old Roger Federer played the first ATP final of his career. On this special occasion, he lost (2-6, 6-3, 7-6). Rosset and Federer played the first all-Swiss final in the history of the ATP Tour. π¨ππ¨π#federer https://t.co/JiLdSnYanY
Federer reached his second career final later that year - Basel - losing to Thomas Enqvist in five sets. Earlier, he had lost the bronze-medal playoff at the Sydney Olympics.
At his last stop of the year in Stockholm, the then 23rd-ranked Federer played his 100th match, where he beat Mikhail Youzhny in three sets in the opening round. However, he lost in the next round.
# Rafael Nadal 66-34 (Lost his 100th match)
Rafael Nadal, like Federer, is another all-time great. The legendary left-hander is the all-time leader in men's Grand Slam singles titles (22) and has also won 36 Masters 1000 titles, among others.
Nadal, 36, has won a staggering 14 titles at Roland Garros alone. He's one of only two male players in the Open Era to win a double career Grand Slam. Nadal has a win-loss record of 1063-212, winning 92 titles. He won on his ATP tour debut in Mallorca in 2002, beating Ramon Delgado in straight sets. Nadal mostly played on the Challenger Tour and ITF Futures in his early years and needed a few years to rack up 100 matches on the ATP Tour.
The Spaniard reached his first ATP final in Auckland in 2004, losing to Dominic Hrbaty in three sets. However, he would win his first title that year - in Sopot - beating Jose Acasuso.
Nadal really took off in 2005, embarking on a stunning 79-10 run - the best by a teenager in ATP history - winning 11 titles. After winning at Costa du Saupe and Acapulco, he played his 100th match against Federer in the Miami final. Nadal came within two points of victory in the third set tiebreak before going down in five sets.
#OnThisDay
April 3, 2005: Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal 2-6 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-1 to win Miami title π #OnThisDay https://t.co/j9GGPeu4Du
That would be his only final loss of the year, as Nadal won his next ten title matches.
# Novak Djokovic: 65-35 (Won his 100th match)
Novak Djokovic - along with Federer and Nadal - have been called the 'Big 3' of men's tennis for their stellar achievements and consistency over the last decade and a half.
The youngest of the 'Big 3', Djokovic has won 21 Majors, five ATP Finals and a record 38 Masters 1000 titles, among others. He's one of two players to win the double career Grand Slam and the only one to win the career Golden Masters.
Djokovic, who has a 1012-204 win-loss record, winning 88 titles, made his ATP Tour debut in Umag in 2004, losing to Filippo Volandri. He notched up his first win at his next stop in Bucharest. Two years after his tour debut, the Serb reached his first ATP final in Amersfoot, beating Nicolas Massu in straight sets. He also won the Metz title that year after falling short in the Umag title match.
On this day 16 years ago, Novak #Djokovic won his first ATP title defeating Nicolas Massu in the Amersfoort final. Up to this day - 88 titles. https://t.co/AXApORKp8S
Djokovic started 2007 by winning in Adelaide before playing his 100th ATP match in Dubai, beating Rainer Schuettler in the round of 16. However, he lost to Federer in the next round.