Page 14 - aruba-today-20220509

A14 sports
Monday 9 May 2022
Impressive Alcaraz wins in Madrid for 4th title of the year

By TALES AZZONI nament many times."
AP Sports Writer Alcaraz had won his first
MADRID (AP) — When Car- Masters 1000 tournament
los Alcaraz played in his in Miami earlier this year.
first Madrid Open as an He had also won in Rio de
18-year-old, his goal was to Janeiro and Barcelona.
gain experience and learn His first career title came in
from the top players. Umag last year.
Only a year later, Alcaraz Alcaraz's three losses this
already feels he belongs season came against Se-
among the best. bastian Korda in Monte
The Spanish teenage sen- Carlo, Nadal in Indian Wells
sation capped another and Matteo Berrettini in the
impressive week with a Australian Open.
straight-set victory over Al- After long three-set wins
exander Zverev on Sunday over Nadal and Djokovic,
to win the Madrid Open the seventh-seeded Al-
and become the second- caraz kept his high en-
youngest player to win two ergy from the start against
Masters 1000 titles. Zverev and was in control
His comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win throughout the match at
over Zverev followed vic- the "Caja Mágica" center
tories over his idol Rafael Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, bites the trophy after winning the final match against Alexander Zverev, court.
Nadal in the quarterfinals of Germany, at the Mutua Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, May 8, 2022. He didn't face any break
and top-ranked Novak Associated Press points and converted four
Djokovic in the semifinals. of the eight he had against
"Last year I was going to win two Masters 1000 say this is the best week of caraz after the match. the second-seeded Zverev.
through these experiences trophies after Nadal won in my life." "Right now you are the best Alcaraz had 11 unforced
for the first time, playing Monte Carlo and Rome in It was the seventh straight player in the world," Zverev errors compared to 25 by
against the best players, 2005. Alcaraz had already win over a top-10 player said before the trophy cer- Zverev.
playing in the Masters 1000, become the youngest to for Alcaraz, and his tour- emony and joked about "I am 19 years old, which I
and I learned a lot," Alcaraz enter the top 10 since Nad- leading fourth title of the his opponent's age. "Even think is the key to be able
said. "Now it's different. I al did it in 2005. year. He also has the most though you are still 5 years to play long and tough
go onto the court know- "It feels great to be able wins this season with 28, old, you are still beating us matches in a row. I am
ing that I can win, with the to beat these players," the one more than Stefanos Ts- all, so great to see for ten- feeling great physically," Al-
confidence that I can win 19-year-old Alcaraz said. itsipas. nis that we have such a caraz said.
at any moment." "To beat two of the best Zverev was trying to win his new superstar who is going He said it was special to
Alcaraz became the players in history and then second consecutive Ma- to win many Grand Slams, win in Madrid, where he
youngest winner in Madrid, Zverev, the world No. 3. He drid title, and third overall. who is going to be No. 1 first started watching tennis
and the second youngest is a great player. I would He had only praise for Al- and is going to win this tour- at an early age.q

Verstappen cruises to win in inaugural Miami Grand Prix

in qualifying for Ferrari, but for second and third for tained since Friday or the
Verstappen pounced at Leclerc and Sainz. "marina" that docked 10
the start to get ahead of Perez was fourth for Red boats on plywood covered
Sainz. Bull and Mercedes showed in a decal to resemble rip-
He then set his sights on much improvement with a pling water, F1 got the sun,
Leclerc and used a strong fifth and sixth place finish for sand and Miami backdrop
outside pass on the ninth George Russell and Lewis it wanted when it agreed
lap to claim the lead. Ver- Hamilton. It's the fourth time to this 10-year deal.
stappen went unchal- in five races that first-year Come race day, the celeb-
lenged until a late crash Mercedes driver Russell rities were out in full force.
between Lando Norris and has beaten the seven-time Dwyane Wade took self-
Pierre Gasly brought out champion. ies on the starting grid and
the safety car and setup The race itself wasn't the Paris Hilton danced in front
a 10-lap sprint to the finish thriller the 85,000 in atten- of the McLaren garage;
on the 19-turn, 3.36-mile cir- dance Sunday breath- Tom Brady, David Beck-
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands races during cuit (5.41 kilometers) built lessly expected when they ham and Michael Jordan
the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami In-
ternational Autodrome, Sunday, May 8, 2022, in Miami Gardens, around Hard Rock Stadium. snagged one of the hottest posed for a pre-race pic-
Fla. Leclerc got a few looks in- tickets in sports. Promoters ture with Lewis Hamilton,
Associated Press side but Verstappen didn't never had a general tick- who hosted former first
relent and the Dutchman et sale because of crush- lady Michelle Obama on
By JENNA FRYER third victory of the season. won by 3.7 seconds. He ing early demand and the Saturday at the track. Ser-
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) The reigning world cham- also won two weeks ago campus surrounding Hard ena Williams ducked into
— Max Verstappen used pion started third Sunday, at Imola as Red Bull capi- Rock Stadium was the Mercedes' hospitality and
an aggressive early pass on but Red Bull quickly got the talized on a poor Ferrari place to party over the last Puerto Rican rapper Bad
Formula One champion- best of Ferrari for a second weekend on Italian home three days. Bunny arrived at the venue
ship leader Charles Leclerc consecutive race. Leclerc soil with a 1-2 finish for Ver- Whether it was at the man- with Perez and spent most
then controlled the inaugu- and Carlos Sainz Jr. had stappen and Sergio Perez. made beach club where of pre-race at Red Bull with
ral Miami Grand Prix for his locked out the front row In Miami, Ferrari settled musical acts have enter- the Mexican driver.q