Alcaraz defeats De Minaur to claim Rotterdam title

World number three Carlos Alcaraz, aged 21, secured his inaugural indoor title by defeating Australian third seed Alex de Minaur, aged 25, with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the final of the Rotterdam Open on Sunday. This victory marks the four-time Grand Slam champion's 17th ATP Tour title and his first in an indoor setting.

Alcaraz's triumph comes after a quarter-final exit against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open earlier in the 2025 season. This win is particularly significant as it is his first title since his victory in Beijing last October.

Despite battling a cold throughout the week, he donned a nasal strip during the match and made history by becoming the youngest player to win titles on clay, grass, hard court, and indoor hard court.

In the final, the top-seeded Spaniard broke De Minaur's serve in the third game of the ATP 500 tournament, but the Australian quickly leveled the match at 4-4 after breaking back. Alcaraz regained his composure, breaking De Minaur again to secure the first set.

De Minaur surged ahead in the second set, establishing a 3-0 lead, and maintained his serve to equalize the match. However, Alcaraz, facing a deciding set for the third time that week, seized control by breaking for a 4-2 lead and ultimately clinched the title in his debut at the Rotterdam event.

"Coming here with, let's say not feeling 100% well with the cold, every day I felt better and better thanks to (my team). All the people back home as well, I just want to say thank you.

"I'm not a guy who says this many times, but I really want to tell you ... I love you guys," he added, referring to his team. "Thank you for everything you're doing for me."

Alcaraz's victory makes him the first Spaniard to win the Rotterdam title, following the losses of his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2004 and Rafael Nadal in 2009. Additionally, he is the first champion in Rotterdam to win the title on his tournament debut since Lleyton Hewitt in 2004.

In the semi-finals, Alcaraz defeated Poland's Hubert Hurkacz with a score of 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3, while De Minaur, last year's runner-up

SportsLigue