Carlos Alcaraz will soon be the new World No. 2 after his performance at the China Open 2024.
After a tough North American hardcourt swing, Alcaraz seemed exhausted. He lost in the second round of the US Open to Botic van de Zandschulp, looking mentally drained.
His loss to Novak Djokovic in the Olympics gold medal match left him in tears and affected his performance at the US Open.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Former players like John McEnroe suggested he rest for two months to avoid burnout. Alcaraz himself admitted there were times he didn’t want to go to tournaments.
Alcaraz’s Comeback:
Despite these challenges, Alcaraz has been playing well since the US Open. He helped Spain reach the Davis Cup Final 8 and will join Rafael Nadal for the Finals in November.
He then shone at the Laver Cup, leading Team Europe to their first title in three years by beating Taylor Fritz in Berlin.
However, controversy followed him into his first match at the China Open with a heated argument with an umpire over time violations. Fans might think this shows his fiery spirit on court.
But that didn’t stop him from reaching his first final since the Olympics without dropping a set, proving doubters wrong about his season being over after the US Open.
Alcaraz’s success at China Open ensures he will surpass Alexander Zverev as World No. 2 next week, regardless of whether he wins or loses in Beijing. Winning would put him at 7,010 points; losing would leave him with 6,840 points—both higher than Zverev’s 6,705 points as he skipped China Open.
Facing Sinner in a much-anticipated final is exciting for fans. Their only previous final was on clay at Croatia Open two years ago where Sinner won in three sets.
Even if Alcaraz beats Sinner this time, it won’t significantly close Sinner’s lead as World No.1; he’d still trail by exactly 4,000 points if Sinner loses and ends with 11,010 points after this tournament.
Although overtaking Sinner before year-end seems unlikely now for Alcaraz—a four-time Grand Slam champion—he could still beat him for third time this year if he wins China Open final!
What do you think? Will Alcaraz continue this strong comeback?
