section_path: Professional career/2022: US champion, teenage No. 1
section_name: 2022: US champion, teenage No. 1
paragraph_text: 2022: US champion, teenage No. 1
  
  Seeded for the first time in a major at No. 31, Alcaraz reached the third round of the Australian Open, where he was defeated in a fifth set tiebreak by Matteo Berrettini. As of June 2025, this remains the only five-set loss of his career.
  
  Seeded seventh at the Rio Open, Alcaraz won his first ATP 500 title by defeating Diego Schwartzman in the final. He became the youngest winner of an ATP 500 event since the category was created in 2009. He entered the top 20 in the singles rankings on 21 February 2022. In Indian Wells, Alcaraz reached his first ATP 1000 quarterfinal and semifinal, defeating defending champion Cameron Norrie before losing to Rafael Nadal.
  
  Seeded 14th at the Miami Open, Alcaraz defeated 6th seed Casper Ruud to win his first ATP 1000 title. Alcaraz was the first Spaniard to win the title. At 18 years and 333 days old, he also became the youngest men's singles titlist in Miami Open history, and the youngest Masters 1000 champion since Rafael Nadal at the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters.
  
  At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Alcaraz lost in the second round to Sebastian Korda. At the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz defeated top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals to enter the top 10 in rankings for the first time on 25 April 2022. He became the 20th teenager to break into top 10 overall since rankings were established in 1973, and the youngest since Rafael Nadal on 25 April 2005, exactly 17 years earlier. Alcaraz later defeated Pablo Carreño Busta to win the title.
  
  A day after his 19th birthday at the Madrid Open, he defeated 5-time Madrid champion, world No. 4 and third seed Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals to become the first teenager to defeat him on clay. The following day, he beat the world No. 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic in the semifinals for his 6th straight top-10 win, and became the youngest player to win a match against a world No. 1 since 2004. He also became the only player to ever beat Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back on clay. In the final, he won his fourth title for the season (and second ATP 1000), by defeating defending champion and world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, thereby defeating the top three seeds in three consecutive matches. He also became the youngest champion in the tournament's history. As a result, he climbed to a career-high of world No. 6 in the rankings on 9 May 2022.
  
  Following his withdrawal from the Italian Open due to an ankle injury, Alcaraz made his seeded debut at the French Open as No. 6. Having won two of the tour's biggest titles on clay coming into the Slam, he was widely projected to be one of the favorites for the title. He defeated Juan Ignacio Londero in straight sets before saving a match point in a second round five-setter against Albert Ramos Viñolas. He then defeated Sebastian Korda and Karen Khachanov in straight sets before losing to Zverev, in the second major quarterfinal of his career.
  
  At Wimbledon, Alcaraz beat Jan-Lennard Struff in a close five set match before defeating Tallon Griekspoor and Oscar Otte in straight sets, reaching the round of 16 for the first time at this major. He lost to Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.
  
  At the Hamburg Open, he reached the final, resulting in a new career-high of world no. 5 on 25 July 2022. Alcaraz became the youngest male player to enter the top 5 since Nadal in 2005. He was defeated in the final by Lorenzo Musetti, the first Tour-level loss in a final of his career. At the Croatia Open, he reached a second consecutive final, resulting in another ranking jump to world no. 4 on 1 August.
  
  Alcaraz entered the 2022 US Open as the No. 3 seed. He defeated Sebastian Baez, Federico Coria and Jenson Brooksby without dropping a set to reach the fourth round. Next he defeated 15th seed Marin Čilić in five sets, becoming the youngest man to reach back-to-back quarterfinals at this major in the Open Era. In his quarterfinal match he defeated Jannik Sinner, saving a match point in the fourth set. The match set the record as the latest finish (at 2:50 am EST) and second longest match (5 hours and 15 minutes) in US Open history. He defeated Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals for his third consecutive five-set match victory. He defeated 5th seed Casper Ruud in the final, where both players were in contention for the world No. 1 ranking, to win the title. Alcaraz became the youngest No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings at the age of 19 years, 4 months and 6 days, breaking Lleyton Hewitt 's record, and the second youngest all-time behind Lew Hoad. He also became the first teenager in the Open Era to top the men's rankings and the youngest men's US Open champion since Pete Sampras in 1990.
  
  In his first match as world No. 1, Alcaraz lost his singles match at the 2022 Davis Cup Finals to Félix Auger-Aliassime. Next, he lost to David Goffin in the first round of the Astana Open. Alcaraz reached the semifinals in Basel, where he was defeated by eventual champion Auger-Aliassime. Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, but retired down a set to Holger Rune. A day later, Alcaraz announced he had suffered an abdominal tear requiring a six-week layoff, forcing him to end his season early. Alcaraz withdrew from the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals. Alcaraz, at the age of 19 years and 214 days, ended the year as youngest and first teenage world No. 1 in the ATP era, and second youngest of all-time behind Hoad.
  
  Seeded for the first time in a major at No. 31, Alcaraz reached the third round of the Australian Open, where he was defeated in a fifth set tiebreak by Matteo Berrettini. As of June 2025, this remains the only five-set loss of his career.
  
  Seeded seventh at the Rio Open, Alcaraz won his first ATP 500 title by defeating Diego Schwartzman in the final. He became the youngest winner of an ATP 500 event since the category was created in 2009. He entered the top 20 in the singles rankings on 21 February 2022. In Indian Wells, Alcaraz reached his first ATP 1000 quarterfinal and semifinal, defeating defending champion Cameron Norrie before losing to Rafael Nadal.
  
  Seeded 14th at the Miami Open, Alcaraz defeated 6th seed Casper Ruud to win his first ATP 1000 title. Alcaraz was the first Spaniard to win the title. At 18 years and 333 days old, he also became the youngest men's singles titlist in Miami Open history, and the youngest Masters 1000 champion since Rafael Nadal at the 2005 Monte Carlo Masters.
  
  At the Monte-Carlo Masters, Alcaraz lost in the second round to Sebastian Korda. At the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz defeated top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals to enter the top 10 in rankings for the first time on 25 April 2022. He became the 20th teenager to break into top 10 overall since rankings were established in 1973, and the youngest since Rafael Nadal on 25 April 2005, exactly 17 years earlier. Alcaraz later defeated Pablo Carreño Busta to win the title.
  
  A day after his 19th birthday at the Madrid Open, he defeated 5-time Madrid champion, world No. 4 and third seed Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals to become the first teenager to defeat him on clay. The following day, he beat the world No. 1 and top seed Novak Djokovic in the semifinals for his 6th straight top-10 win, and became the youngest player to win a match against a world No. 1 since 2004. He also became the only player to ever beat Djokovic and Nadal back-to-back on clay. In the final, he won his fourth title for the season (and second ATP 1000), by defeating defending champion and world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, thereby defeating the top three seeds in three consecutive matches. He also became the youngest champion in the tournament's history. As a result, he climbed to a career-high of world No. 6 in the rankings on 9 May 2022.
  
  Following his withdrawal from the Italian Open due to an ankle injury, Alcaraz made his seeded debut at the French Open as No. 6. Having won two of the tour's biggest titles on clay coming into the Slam, he was widely projected to be one of the favorites for the title. He defeated Juan Ignacio Londero in straight sets before saving a match point in a second round five-setter against Albert Ramos Viñolas. He then defeated Sebastian Korda and Karen Khachanov in straight sets before losing to Zverev, in the second major quarterfinal of his career.
  
  At Wimbledon, Alcaraz beat Jan-Lennard Struff in a close five set match before defeating Tallon Griekspoor and Oscar Otte in straight sets, reaching the round of 16 for the first time at this major. He lost to Jannik Sinner in the fourth round.
  
  At the Hamburg Open, he reached the final, resulting in a new career-high of world no. 5 on 25 July 2022. Alcaraz became the youngest male player to enter the top 5 since Nadal in 2005. He was defeated in the final by Lorenzo Musetti, the first Tour-level loss in a final of his career. At the Croatia Open, he reached a second consecutive final, resulting in another ranking jump to world no. 4 on 1 August.
  
  Alcaraz entered the 2022 US Open as the No. 3 seed. He defeated Sebastian Baez, Federico Coria and Jenson Brooksby without dropping a set to reach the fourth round. Next he defeated 15th seed Marin Čilić in five sets, becoming the youngest man to reach back-to-back quarterfinals at this major in the Open Era. In his quarterfinal match he defeated Jannik Sinner, saving a match point in the fourth set. The match set the record as the latest finish (at 2:50 am EST) and second longest match (5 hours and 15 minutes) in US Open history. He defeated Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals for his third consecutive five-set match victory. He defeated 5th seed Casper Ruud in the final, where both players were in contention for the world No. 1 ranking, to win the title. Alcaraz became the youngest No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings at the age of 19 years, 4 months and 6 days, breaking Lleyton Hewitt 's record, and the second youngest all-time behind Lew Hoad. He also became the first teenager in the Open Era to top the men's rankings and the youngest men's US Open champion since Pete Sampras in 1990.
  
  In his first match as world No. 1, Alcaraz lost his singles match at the 2022 Davis Cup Finals to Félix Auger-Aliassime. Next, he lost to David Goffin in the first round of the Astana Open. Alcaraz reached the semifinals in Basel, where he was defeated by eventual champion Auger-Aliassime. Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters, but retired down a set to Holger Rune. A day later, Alcaraz announced he had suffered an abdominal tear requiring a six-week layoff, forcing him to end his season early. Alcaraz withdrew from the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals. Alcaraz, at the age of 19 years and 214 days, ended the year as youngest and first teenage world No. 1 in the ATP era, and second youngest of all-time behind Hoad.