Carlos Alcaraz defeats Casper Ruud to become youngest Miami Open winner in history at 18

Carlos Alcaraz has made Miami Open history by becoming the youngest man ever to win the title, defeating sixth seed Casper Ruud 7-5 6-4 in the final. At 18 years and 11 months he is also the third-youngest Masters 1000 champion in history, needing an hour and 52 minutes to storm to the title and live up to his expectations as one of the tour's most exciting young players.

Both Alcaraz and Ruud were playing their maiden Masters 1000 final. They had faced off once previously, almost exactly a year ago in the quarter-finals of the Marbella Challenger where the Spanish teenager won 6-2 6-4. It was the world No 8 who started strong this time around, quickly going 3-0 up as he fired forehands at an average speed of 91mph.

At 3-1, Ruud found himself at deuce from 40-0 up and gave away a break point by letting a shot go that was comfortably in but he managed to hold on. Alcaraz persisted and set up two more break points in the sixth seed's very next game, converting the second as Ruud sent a ball long to get himself back on serve.

There was a classy gesture from Ruud when the 18-year-old was forced to replace two dead balls when he had a second serve at 3-4, and the Norwegian gifted his opponent a first serve following the lengthy break. Ruud won the point but Alcaraz went on to hold for 4-4, completing a string of three successive games.

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Both men held onto their next two games when the world No 16 pounced at a crucial moment, breaking at 5-5 to give himself the chance to serve for the set as the crowd went wild and chants of 'ole' could be heard ringing out through the Hard Rock Stadium. Alcaraz managed to save a break point as he served out the set, taking it 7-5