section_path: Professional career/2021: ATP title, Next-Gen Finals winner
section_name: 2021: ATP title, Next-Gen Finals winner
paragraph_text: 2021: ATP title, Next-Gen Finals winner
  
  At age 17, Alcaraz made his debut in the main draw of a slam tournament at the 2021 Australian Open. He came through the qualifying rounds in January after defeating Filip Horansky, Evgeny Karlovskiy, and second seed Hugo Dellien. He was the youngest man to qualify for the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic in 2005. As the main draw of the Australian Open was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alcaraz played the Great Ocean Road Open in early February, where he was defeated by Thiago Monteiro. In his first main draw match at the Australian Open, Alcaraz defeated fellow qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. He was the only teenager in the draw to progress past the first round, and the first person born in 2003 to win a match at a major. In the second round, Alcaraz was defeated by Mikail Ymer.
  
  Alcaraz entered the qualifying rounds of the Open Occitanie, where he was defeated by Tallon Griekspoor. At his first clay court tournament of the season, the Gran Canaria Challenger II, Alcaraz was knocked out by Marco Trungelliti in the round of 16. Alcaraz made his debut at the Mexican Open as a wildcard. He was knocked out by eventual champion Alexander Zverev in the first round. Alcaraz was given another wildcard into the Miami Open, where he was knocked out in the first round by Emil Ruusuvuori. This was his first appearance at a Masters 1000 tournament.
  
  Alcaraz returned to clay at the Andalucía Open, where he was given another wildcard. He defeated Nikola Milojevic, Feliciano Lopez, and third seed Casper Ruud to make the deepest Tour-level tournament run of his career. He lost to compatriot Jaume Munar in the semifinal. Alcaraz received another wildcard into the Barcelona Open, but was knocked out in the first round by Frances Tiafoe. Alcaraz then entered the Estoril Open as a qualifier, but lost to sixth seed Marin Cilic in the first round.
  
  Alcaraz was handed another wildcard at the Madrid Open, the second Masters-level tournament of his career. He defeated Adrian Mannarino in the first round in straight sets, bagelling him in the second set. This made Alcaraz the youngest match winner in the tournament's history, breaking a record set by Rafael Nadal in 2004. He then met Nadal for their first career meeting, and lost to him in two sets. This was the day of Alcaraz's eighteenth birthday. Alcaraz entered the Challenger Oeiras III as an unseeded player. He defeated Facundo Bagnis in the final to claim the fourth Challenger title of his career. Following this tournament, he rose from 114th to 94th in the rankings to enter the top 100 on 24 May 2021. He became the youngest player inside the ATP top 100, as well as the youngest inside the top 500.
  
  Alcaraz made his debut at the French Open. He qualified with ease and made it to the third round of the main draw, where he was defeated by Jan-Lennard Struff. He was the youngest man to reach the third round at Roland Garros in twenty nine years, and the youngest to do so at any slam since Nadal in 2004. Alcaraz then made his debut at Wimbledon, where he received a wildcard. In his first-ever Tour-level match on grass, he defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama in the first five-set match of his career. He was defeated in the second round in straight sets by World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev.
  
  In July, Alcaraz won the Croatia Open Umag, defeating Richard Gasquet to claim the first ATP 250 and Tour-level title of his career. He became the youngest tour-level champion since Kei Nishikori in 2008, and the youngest ATP 250 winner since the category was established. Alcaraz then entered the Austrian Open Kitzbühel, where he was seeded tenth, but lost to Alexander Erler in the first round. Alcaraz qualified for a main draw debut at the Cincinnati Masters, where he lost to Lorenzo Sonego in the first round. Alcaraz made another semifinal in Winston-Salem, where he lost again to Mikail Ymer.
  
  At the US Open, Alcaraz defeated world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a fifth-set tiebreak to reach the fourth round in the biggest win of his career at that time. At 18 years and four months, Alcaraz became the youngest man to beat a top 3 ranked-player in singles at the US Open since the ATP rankings began in 1973. Alcaraz also became the youngest man in a major fourth round since 17-year-old Andrei Medvedev at the 1992 French Open, and the youngest man in the US Open fourth round since 17-year-old Michael Chang and 18-year-old Pete Sampras in 1989. He then reached the quarterfinals by defeating qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. Alcaraz became the youngest US Open men's quarterfinalist in the Open Era, the youngest at the tournament since 18-year-old Thomaz Koch in 1963, and the youngest Grand Slam tournament men's singles quarterfinalist since 18-year-old Michael Chang at the 1990 French Open. He lost to Félix Auger-Aliassime via retirement in the second set in the quarterfinals after injuring his leg.
  
  Alcaraz played Indian Wells, which had been postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was his first time being seeded (30th) at a Masters event. He lost in the first round to Andy Murray in three sets. Alcaraz then entered the Vienna Open. In the second round, he met Andy Murray for a rematch and defeated him in straight sets. Alcaraz then defeated world no. 7 Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinal to claim a second top 10 win, and became the youngest player in the top 35 on 1 November. He lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinal. At the Paris Masters, Alcaraz defeated Pierre Hughes-Herbert in three thrilling sets in the first round. Alcaraz then recorded a straight sets victory against eighth seed Jannik Sinner in their first tour-level meeting. This was his third top 10 win. In the round of 16, Alcaraz was unable to cope with a raucous home crowd backing Frenchman Hugo Gaston and lost in straight sets.
  
  Alcaraz qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals as third seed behind Sinner and Auger-Aliassime, but became first seed after they both withdrew before the tournament started. He defeated Brandon Nakashima, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, and Holger Rune in the round-robin stage to qualify for the semifinals. He then defeated Sebastián Báez and Sebastian Korda to claim the title. He dropped one set all tournament, to Cerúndolo. He would qualify to play the tournament again in 2022 and 2023, but did not play it in either year as he would also qualify for the ATP Finals.
  
  At age 17, Alcaraz made his debut in the main draw of a slam tournament at the 2021 Australian Open. He came through the qualifying rounds in January after defeating Filip Horansky, Evgeny Karlovskiy, and second seed Hugo Dellien. He was the youngest man to qualify for the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic in 2005. As the main draw of the Australian Open was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alcaraz played the Great Ocean Road Open in early February, where he was defeated by Thiago Monteiro. In his first main draw match at the Australian Open, Alcaraz defeated fellow qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets. He was the only teenager in the draw to progress past the first round, and the first person born in 2003 to win a match at a major. In the second round, Alcaraz was defeated by Mikail Ymer.
  
  Alcaraz entered the qualifying rounds of the Open Occitanie, where he was defeated by Tallon Griekspoor. At his first clay court tournament of the season, the Gran Canaria Challenger II, Alcaraz was knocked out by Marco Trungelliti in the round of 16. Alcaraz made his debut at the Mexican Open as a wildcard. He was knocked out by eventual champion Alexander Zverev in the first round. Alcaraz was given another wildcard into the Miami Open, where he was knocked out in the first round by Emil Ruusuvuori. This was his first appearance at a Masters 1000 tournament.
  
  Alcaraz returned to clay at the Andalucía Open, where he was given another wildcard. He defeated Nikola Milojevic, Feliciano Lopez, and third seed Casper Ruud to make the deepest Tour-level tournament run of his career. He lost to compatriot Jaume Munar in the semifinal. Alcaraz received another wildcard into the Barcelona Open, but was knocked out in the first round by Frances Tiafoe. Alcaraz then entered the Estoril Open as a qualifier, but lost to sixth seed Marin Cilic in the first round.
  
  Alcaraz was handed another wildcard at the Madrid Open, the second Masters-level tournament of his career. He defeated Adrian Mannarino in the first round in straight sets, bagelling him in the second set. This made Alcaraz the youngest match winner in the tournament's history, breaking a record set by Rafael Nadal in 2004. He then met Nadal for their first career meeting, and lost to him in two sets. This was the day of Alcaraz's eighteenth birthday. Alcaraz entered the Challenger Oeiras III as an unseeded player. He defeated Facundo Bagnis in the final to claim the fourth Challenger title of his career. Following this tournament, he rose from 114th to 94th in the rankings to enter the top 100 on 24 May 2021. He became the youngest player inside the ATP top 100, as well as the youngest inside the top 500.
  
  Alcaraz made his debut at the French Open. He qualified with ease and made it to the third round of the main draw, where he was defeated by Jan-Lennard Struff. He was the youngest man to reach the third round at Roland Garros in twenty nine years, and the youngest to do so at any slam since Nadal in 2004. Alcaraz then made his debut at Wimbledon, where he received a wildcard. In his first-ever Tour-level match on grass, he defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama in the first five-set match of his career. He was defeated in the second round in straight sets by World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev.
  
  In July, Alcaraz won the Croatia Open Umag, defeating Richard Gasquet to claim the first ATP 250 and Tour-level title of his career. He became the youngest tour-level champion since Kei Nishikori in 2008, and the youngest ATP 250 winner since the category was established. Alcaraz then entered the Austrian Open Kitzbühel, where he was seeded tenth, but lost to Alexander Erler in the first round. Alcaraz qualified for a main draw debut at the Cincinnati Masters, where he lost to Lorenzo Sonego in the first round. Alcaraz made another semifinal in Winston-Salem, where he lost again to Mikail Ymer.
  
  At the US Open, Alcaraz defeated world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a fifth-set tiebreak to reach the fourth round in the biggest win of his career at that time. At 18 years and four months, Alcaraz became the youngest man to beat a top 3 ranked-player in singles at the US Open since the ATP rankings began in 1973. Alcaraz also became the youngest man in a major fourth round since 17-year-old Andrei Medvedev at the 1992 French Open, and the youngest man in the US Open fourth round since 17-year-old Michael Chang and 18-year-old Pete Sampras in 1989. He then reached the quarterfinals by defeating qualifier Peter Gojowczyk. Alcaraz became the youngest US Open men's quarterfinalist in the Open Era, the youngest at the tournament since 18-year-old Thomaz Koch in 1963, and the youngest Grand Slam tournament men's singles quarterfinalist since 18-year-old Michael Chang at the 1990 French Open. He lost to Félix Auger-Aliassime via retirement in the second set in the quarterfinals after injuring his leg.
  
  Alcaraz played Indian Wells, which had been postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was his first time being seeded (30th) at a Masters event. He lost in the first round to Andy Murray in three sets. Alcaraz then entered the Vienna Open. In the second round, he met Andy Murray for a rematch and defeated him in straight sets. Alcaraz then defeated world no. 7 Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinal to claim a second top 10 win, and became the youngest player in the top 35 on 1 November. He lost to Alexander Zverev in the semifinal. At the Paris Masters, Alcaraz defeated Pierre Hughes-Herbert in three thrilling sets in the first round. Alcaraz then recorded a straight sets victory against eighth seed Jannik Sinner in their first tour-level meeting. This was his third top 10 win. In the round of 16, Alcaraz was unable to cope with a raucous home crowd backing Frenchman Hugo Gaston and lost in straight sets.
  
  Alcaraz qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals as third seed behind Sinner and Auger-Aliassime, but became first seed after they both withdrew before the tournament started. He defeated Brandon Nakashima, Juan Manuel Cerúndolo, and Holger Rune in the round-robin stage to qualify for the semifinals. He then defeated Sebastián Báez and Sebastian Korda to claim the title. He dropped one set all tournament, to Cerúndolo. He would qualify to play the tournament again in 2022 and 2023, but did not play it in either year as he would also qualify for the ATP Finals.