Carlos Alcaraz clinches first title of 2025 with win over Alex de Minaur in Rotterdam Open final - 'Really special week'
Updated 09/02/2025 at 18:58 GMT
Carlos Alcaraz secured his first title of 2025 with a 6-4 3-6 6-2 win over Alex de Minaur at the Rotterdam Open on Sunday. The Spaniard clinched the trophy with a dominant third-set showing, leaving De Minaur with back-to-back Rotterdam final losses. The win saw Alcaraz pick up the 17th title of his career, surpassing his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's tally of 16.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates his sides win with trophy during Day Seven of the ABN AMRO Open at Rotterdam Ahoy on February 9, 2025 in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Image credit: Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz beat Alex de Minaur 6-4 3-6 6-2 in the Rotterdam Open final to pick up his first title of the year.
The top seed was competing at the tournament for the first time, and Sunday's final saw him clinch his first indoor title.
The Spaniard secured the opening set with a superb performance on first serve. De Minaur fired back in the second set, in which Alcaraz was forced to save three break points before the Australian finally clinched it.
But a dominant showing in the deciding set ensured Alcaraz picked up his 17th career title at the age of 21.
"This week has been a really good week all together," Alcaraz said. "Putting in really good work.
"Coming here [not] feeling 100% well with the cold but after every day I'm feeling better and better."
Alcaraz had been taken to three sets by both Botic van de Zandschulp and Hubert Hurkacz.
"Rotterdam has been a really special week for me," he added. "I was going to say not only for the title…for the title as well, but for the support that I received here since the first day.
"It was the first time that I [was] playing here and you made it like I've been playing this tournament for a long time."
As reported by the ATP, Alcaraz became the first player to win ATP 500 titles on clay, grass and hard courts last year, and victory over De Minaur added an indoor win to his growing list of honours.
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After exercising control of the first set, Alcaraz was pushed back in the second by De Minaur, who pressured the Spaniard with his aggressive shots.
Despite that, Alcaraz was able to restore his dominance in the third set and won five of the last six games to clinch the trophy.
"We're pushing for bigger and better things," De Minaur said. "It’s been a lot of improvements in my game over the last couple years and I'm going to keep on pushing for more.
"It's been two years now with this runner-up trophy. I'm hoping I'll get my hand on the winners' one day."
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