Carlos Alcaraz Youngest Ever To Be Crowned Miami Open Champion

Carlos Alcaraz believes watching boyhood idol Rafael Nadal helped him become the the youngest ever Miami Open champion on Sunday. Alcaraz, who turns 19 next month, showed why many believe he is currently the hottest young prospect in men's tennis with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Norway's world number eight Casper Ruud to land a first ATP Masters crown. Only two men have won titles at this level at a younger age — Michael Chang, who was 18 years and five months old when he won in Toronto in 1990, and Rafael Nadal, 18 years and 10 months when he was victorious in Monte Carlo in 2005.

Alcaraz dropped just one set on the way to his Miami triumph and now will head off to compete on his preferred surface of clay buoyed by the biggest win of his career.

There's a long way to go before even getting close to replicating the legendary career of 21 Grand Slam-winning compatriot Nadal but Alcaraz says he plans to have fun trying.

"I have always looked up to Rafa, I always watched his big moments and matches and learned a lot from that," Alcaraz, who received a congratulatory call from Spain's King Felipe VI, after a famous win which saw him collapse to the floor upon winning the final point, told AFP.

"When I fell to the floor, all the times I have dreamed of this came to me," added Alcaraz, beaten by Nadal in the semi-finals at Indian Wells last month.

Nadal was among the first to congratulate Alcaraz upon his win on Sunday, hailing a "historical" triumph.

"The first of many to come I'm sure," Nadal wrote on Twitter.

Much is expected of Alcaraz whose passionate, all-energy displays in the latter stages of the Miami Open energised the Florida crowd.

He insisted afterwards that his target now is to win a Grand Slam - and this was