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Monday 4 april 2022
Vamos, Carlos: Alcaraz gives Spain a Miami Open men’s winner

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) to try what would have
— Spanish fans brought been a down-the-line win-
plenty of their nation’s flags ner. He put it just wide, and
to Hard Rock Stadium on a point later Alcaraz was
Sunday, thrusting them into up 5-3. Before long, it was
the air whenever things over.“You’re such a good
were going well for Carlos player already,” Ruud told
Alcaraz. Alcaraz during the tro-
He kept them busy, all the phy ceremony. “You’re so
way to the end. young and if you continue
Spain finally has a Miami like this you will stand there
Open men’s champion: many more times. I’m sure
an 18-year-old who wasn’t of it.”
even in the top 100 of the Alcaraz lost one set in six
world rankings at this time matches in Miami, im-
a year ago and now heads proved to 18-2 overall this
into the clay-court season year and became the
arguably playing as well as third-youngest winner of
anyone. Alcaraz, the No. any ATP Masters 1000 series
14 seed, shook off a slow event — which goes back
start to beat sixth-seeded to 1990. The only younger
Casper Ruud of Norway winners: Michael Chang,
7-5, 6-4 in Sunday’s final. and Nadal. Impressive
“I love Miami,” Alcaraz said. Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, reacts after missing a shot against Casper Ruud, of Norway, during the company.
The melting pot city of men’s singles finals of the Miami Open tennis tournament, Sunday, April 3, 2022, in Miami Gardens, “For me, he’s one of the
Fla.
Miami — with its massive Associated Press top four people that you
Spanish-speaking commu- have to talk about at ev-
nity — loved him back, and on full display: daring drop match was over, Alcaraz best player of them all, Ra- ery major now, along with
Alcaraz said that made a shots in tense situations, hopped into the stands to fael Nadal, made it to the Djokovic, Nadal and (Dani-
big difference throughout deft touch at the net when give Ferrero his first hug as Miami final in 2005, 2008, il) Medvedev,” raved tennis
his two-week stay. “I felt like needed, raw power from a Miami champion, as his 2011, 2014 and 2017. great Martina Navratilova
I was home from the first the baseline when warrant- coach wiped away tears. They all lost. Every time. on Tennis Channel after
minute I began playing,” ed. Alcaraz often would “It’s pretty amazing to share Alcaraz ended the drought the match. “He’s the fourth
Alcaraz said. He became look to his team in the this with you,” Alcaraz told and did so with authority. one, for me.”Rankings-wise,
the youngest champion in stands and give a joyous Ferrero.There had been He ripped a crosscourt fore- both Ruud and Alcaraz
Miami Open history — No- yell or a knowing fist-pump, four other Spanish men hand for a double-break leave Miami better than
vak Djokovic was 19 when clearly feeling more com- to make the final at what lead of 3-0 in the second ever. Ruud is expected to
he won the tournament, fortable as the afternoon now is called the Miami set. Ruud broke back for climb one spot to a career-
then the NASDAQ-100 went along. Open — the tournament 3-1, and had a chance at best No. 7 in the world when
Open, for the first time — Among those there with has changed names a few setting up another breaker the computer numbers are
and picked up $1,231,245 him: his coach, Juan Carlos times over the years — over late in the set. updated Monday; Alcaraz
for the victory, nearly dou- Ferrero. He had been away the last quarter-century. With Alcaraz hitting a sec- will be a career-best No. 11.
bling his career earnings while mourning the death Sergi Bruguera was the first, ond serve at 4-3, 30-30, For Ruud, the rise has been
with one check. of his father, but made it in 1997. Carlos Moya was Ruud guessed the incoming steady. He was No. 26 in
The shot-making ability back to Miami in time for next, in 2003. David Ferrer ball’s path correctly and the world after Miami last
from the Spanish teen was the final. And when the got there in 2013 and the ran around his backhand year.q

Mathieu van der Poel wins Tour of Flanders for 2nd time

thieu van der Poel came a two-man sprint. But the pion Lotte Kopecky gave
out of a four-man sprint leading duo played a cat the local fans something
to win the Tour of Flanders and mouse game in the to cheer about by winning
cobbled classic for the final kilometer as Pogacar the women's race ahead
second time on Sunday. waited for an opening that of former world champion
Two-time Tour de France never came, and they Annemiek van Vleuten of
champion Tadej Pogacar were ultimately caught the Netherlands.
blew his chances in the by chasers with some 250 Another Dutch rider, Chan-
race's finale. Van der Poel meters left. Pogacar was tal van den Broek-Blaak —
and Pogacar escaped boxed behind French- a teammate of Kopecky
from the group of remain- man Valentin Madouas — completed the podium.
ing contenders and rode and Dutchman Dylan van A versatile rider, Van der
together for the last 15 kilo- Baarle in the sprint. He ges- Poel has won titles in many
meters after the Slovenian tured in frustration as he disciplines and wore the
rider launched a sharp at- crossed the line in fourth Tour de France yellow jer-
tack in the Oude Kware- place. Van Baarle was sey for six days last year.
Netherland's Mathieu Van Der Poel of the Alpecin Fenix team, mont climb. runner-up ahead of Mad- He is the grandson of the
right, crosses the finish line to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen Van der Poel was the only ouas. Wout van Aert of Bel- late French rider Raymond
in Oudenaarde, Belgium, Sunday, April 3, 2022. one able to follow and gium did not compete af- Poulidor. Van der Poel won
Associated Press the 273-kilometer one- ter testing positive for CO- his first Tour of Flanders in
OUDENAARDE, Belgium (AP) — Dutch rider Ma- day classic looked set for VID-19. But Belgian cham- 2020.q