Carlos Alcaraz cements himself as hottest prospect in tennis with first career Masters 1000 title

By Ben Morse, CNN

Updated 1019 GMT (1819 HKT) April 4, 2022

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates after beating Casper Ruud to win the Miami Open.

(CNN)When you're being praised both by the «King of Clay» and Spanish royalty it's clear you're having a special moment.

On Sunday, 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won the Miami Open, beating Casper Ruud in the final to become the youngest winner of the tournament in its 37-year history. After winning his first Masters 1000 title, Alcaraz was congratulated by his country's most famous tennis player — 21-time grand slam winner Nadal, who earned his «King of Clay» moniker due to his dominance on Roland Garros'red stuff.«Many congratulations Carlitos for your historic triumph in Miami,» Nadal wrote on Twitter. «The first of many to come, for sure.»Alcaraz poses with his first Masters 1000 trophy after winning the Miami Open.Alcaraz was also lauded by Spain's King Felipe VI.Read More«I was more nervous [for] that call than the match,» a smiling Alcaraz said after winning the Miami Open. «It's pretty amazing that the Spanish king congratulates you on the hard work that you put every day and your win. It's something that you never thought you were going to receive, a Spanish king call. It's amazing.»Influence of coach Juan Carlos FerreroWith Nadal and Roger Federer — two of tennis' greatest ever players — advancing in years, Alcaraz is being tipped to fill their sizeable shoes.«The answer to the question 'what happens when Federer and Nadal retire?' Carlos Alcaraz,» tweeted tennis commentator David Law.Alcaraz beat world No. 8 Ruud 7-5, 6-4 in an hour and 52 minutes in the final at the Hard Rock Stadium, rising to a career high No. 11 in the world rankings as a result. The Spanish teenager is