KEY POINTS

  • Carlos Alcaraz is the youngest ATP World No. 1 player
  • The 19-year-old has already won 5 ATP titles this year
  • Alcaraz is among the 6 players who qualified for the ATP Tour Finals

Carlos Alcaraz, who has had a memorable year with multiple historic moments, said that receiving the ATP No. 1 trophy was "a dream come true."

On Monday evening at the Rolex Paris Masters, ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi presented Alcaraz with the prestigious trophy. After winning the US Open 2022 in September – his maiden major title – Alcaraz became the youngest top-ranked ATP player; overall he was the 28th World No. 1 in the history of ATP rankings.

"For me it's a dream come true being No. 1 in the world, to be a Grand Slam champion. I feel like the No. 1, to have this trophy, it means a lot to me," Alcaraz, 19, told ATP on Monday.

Alcaraz, who is set to play against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in the second round at Paris Masters, has already clinched as many as five ATP singles titles this year, including the New York Grand Slam. His other wins have come in Rio de Janeiro (ATP 500), Miami (ATP 1000), Barcelona (ATP 500), and Madrid (ATP 1000).

"Everything has come so fast. I didn't think at the beginning of the year that I'm going to have the year that I'm having right now. I always believe in my team and in my work, so this is something that came with the hard work that I put in every day, the hard pre-season, and the work during the year with my team. Everything pays off," he added in the same interview.

Alcaraz, who is the top seed this week in Paris, is set to make his debut in the ATP Tour Finals, scheduled to begin on Nov. 13. The Spanish teen sensation is aiming to become the youngest year-end World No. 1 in the sport's history.

Danger man: Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz won the US Open 2022 - his maiden Grand Slam title AFP / OSCAR DEL POZO

Going into the ongoing Paris Masters, Alcaraz had some discomfort in his knee. However, the Spanish player confirmed that it was not serious.

"Every player at the end of the year have problems in their bodies, you know, and you have to play with that just a little bit, but not too serious," Alcaraz said in a recent interview.

So far, apart from Alcaraz, the five other players who have qualified for the year-end ATP tournament are Rafael Nadal, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, and Novak Djokovic.

While Nadal is yet to win the coveted trophy, Djokovic is aiming to win a record-equaling sixth ATP Tour Finals title. After winning his maiden ATP Tour Finals title in 2008, the Serbian superstar went on to clinch the trophy four consecutive times from 2012 to 2015.