Weekly round-up: Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest-ever champion in Madrid, Ons Jabeur becomes first African woman to win a WTA 1000 title | 2-9 May 2022
The past week has seen plenty of exciting tennis action along with history being made by Carlos Alcaraz and Ons Jabeur in Madrid. The former beat Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to win his second Masters 1000 title and become the youngest-ever champion at the Madrid Open.
On the women's side, Ons Jabeur beat Jessica Pegula in the final to win her maiden WTA 1000 title, becoming the first African woman to achieve the feat.
Here's a recap of all the tennis action that took place this past week.
Carlos Alcaraz becomes youngest-ever champion in Madrid
Carlos Alcaraz continued his dream run on the ATP tour this season by winning the Madrid Open. The Spaniard was seeded 7th in the competition and received a bye to the second round. He beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 7-5 to set up a third-round clash against Cameron Norrie. Alcaraz beat the Brit in three sets on his 19th birthday to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Up against his idol Nadal, the teenager started brilliantly and took the opening set 6-2. However, Nadal fought back to take the second 6-1. To make matters worse for Alcaraz, he twisted his ankle and had to take a medical timeout during the second set. But the seventh seed showed his class in the third set (6-3), wrapping up the match with a solid backhand winner.
In the semifinals, Alcaraz faced Djokovic and the two played out a thrilling encounter that lasted three hours and 38 minutes. The latter took the opening set via a tie-break but the Spaniard fought back to take the second set 7-5. The third set also went to a tie-break but this time Alcaraz won it 7-5, ending the match with a strong forehand winner.
Alcaraz found himself up against reigning champion Alexander Zverev in the final and crushed the tired-looking German 6-3, 6-1 to win his second Masters 1000 title and fourth overall this season.
The youngest EVER champion in Madrid 🏆
Take a bow, Carlos Alcaraz 👏
@alcarazcarlos03 | @MutuaMadridOpen | #MMOPEN https://t.co/wSJthgQysB
Alcaraz thus became the youngest-ever champion at the Madrid Open and the first player to beat three of the top-four-ranked players in a Masters 1000 competition since David Nalbandian in 2007. The Argentine beat Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer en route to winning the Madrid Open that year.
Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski won the Men's Doubles title at the Madrid Open, beating the Colombian duo of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
Ons Jabeur becomes first African woman to win a WTA 1000 title
Ons Jabeur had a remarkable run at the Madrid Open and ended up winning the WTA 1000 tournament. The Tunisian was the eighth seed in the competition and started with a 7-6(9), 6-1 win over Jasmine Paolini in the first round. She then recorded a hard-fought victory over Varvara Gracheva, which included being bageled in the second set.
By the time the Round of 16 got underway, Jabeur was the highest remaining seed in the tournament. In the third round, the Tunisian was up against Belinda Bencic, who beat her in the final of the Charleston Open in April. Jabeur took her revenge, beating the Swiss for the first time in her career to book a place in the quarterfinals against Simona Halep.
The 27-year-old defeated the former World No. 1 6-3, 6-2 to reach only her second WTA 1000 semifinal. Jabeur had little trouble getting past Ekaterina Alexandrova and advancing to the final where she was up against Jessica Pegula. The American was dominant during her week in Madrid, winning four consecutive matches in straight sets.
Jabeur took the opening set 7-5 but Pegula fought back in the second to bagel the Tunisian. However, Jabeur regrouped to take the decider 6-2 and win her first WTA 1000 title.
2nd career's title
Ons Jabeur as Madrid Champion:
▪️ 2nd career's title
▪️ 1st WTA 1000 title
▪️ 1st African player to win such a tournament
▪️ World No.7 on monday (career-high)
Congratulations @Ons_Jabeur 👏 https://t.co/VbNLBzLYIy
Jabeur became the first woman from Africa to win a WTA 1000 tournament. She also became the first woman to win a WTA final despite being bageled since Alison Riske at the 2019 Rosmalen Grass Court Championships. The Tunisian rose to a career-high ranking of No. 7 as a result of her Madrid triumph.
Gabriela Dabrowski and Jiuliana Olmos won the women's doubles crown at the Madrid Open, beating Desirae Krawczyk and Demi Schuurs in the final.