Home » With this, Carlos Alcaraz sets a new benchmark.

After a brief interlude on grass, Carlos Alcaraz is eager to return to the clay courts where he excels. After playing in the first part of the clay court season, the Spanish player had to leave for the Queen’s, one of the third surface preparatory tournaments of the season.

The second-ranked Spaniard, however, had to withdraw from the tournament due to elbow pain and instead head straight to Wimbledon; in his bid for a third Grand Slam crown, the young Spaniard was eliminated in the second round by Daniil Medvedev.

He finished fourth this year, but lost in the quarterfinals to another up-and-coming player, Jannik Sinner. After a brief stint on grass, and before heading to the hard courts of the United States, Carlos Alcaraz will return to the clay, specifically that of Hamburg.

The Spaniard is the top seed in the tournament and a strong favorite to win it all. Nonetheless, this victory is not just about adding another trophy to the case; it also represents a significant advancement in the standings.

In the Top 4: Alcaraz?

If Carlos Alcaraz were to win the German tournament, he would move up the ATP rankings and replace Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud at number four in the world. As a result, the Spaniard will be promoted to a new position and achieve his highest ever ranking.

This would make the 19-year-old Masters 1000 champion the youngest player to reach this milestone since Rafael Nadal in 2005. But before he can reach that point, Carlos Alcaraz must first get past the first round of the ATP 500 tournament in Hamburg, where he will face the tournament’s wildcard, the German Nicola Kuhn.

Fabio Fognini, another top-5 player, will have to advance past Bedene and whoever wins the match between Khachanov and Struff to get another shot at Alcaraz; the younger player won their previous meeting in Rio de Janeiro in straight sets.