Madrid champion Carlos Alcaraz eager to compete at Italian Open in Rome

Carlos Alcaraz is eager to compete at the Italian Open in Rome, a tournament he says he has looked forward to since he was a kid.

Alcaraz successfully defended his Madrid Open title on Sunday, May 7, defeating Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the final. The win saw him become the youngest player to successfully defend an ATP Masters 1000 title since Rafael Nadal at Monte-Carlo and Rome in 2005-06.

The World No. 2 will next take part in the Italian Open, a tournament he was forced to skip last year after he injured his right ankle during his Madrid title run.

Speaking to the press after his defeat of Struff, Alcaraz expressed his excitement at competing in Rome, saying:

"I have never played in Rome, so it's gonna be my first time playing Rome. I really want to play there. I missed last year. So this is a tournament that I looking for since I was kid."

He added:

"I don't know how it's gonna be, Rome. I don't know the feelings over there, but for sure I'm gonna enjoy that tournament. Of course it's great to play in front of the Italian crowd again."

The Italian Open, or the Internazionali BNL d'Italia as it is officially called, is set to get underway at Foro Italico on Tuesday, May 9.

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Carlos Alcaraz set to reclaim World No. 1 rank from Novak Djokovic at Italian Open

Carlos Alcaraz is set to reclaim the ATP World No. 1 ranking.

Following successful title defenses in Barcelona and Madrid, Carlos Alcarz is all but assured of reclaiming the World No. 1 rank.

Thanks to his 2023 Madrid Open win, only five points separate Alcaraz (6,770) and Novak Djokovic (6,775). If the youngster turns up in Rome and plays a single match, he will dethrone Djokovic at the top of the ATP rankings.

This will be the Spaniard's third stint as the top-ranked player on the men's tour. He first achieved the feat at the US Open last year, where he won his maiden Grand Slam and become the youngest Major winner since Rafael Nadal at the French Open in 2005.

In doing so, Alcaraz also became the youngest World No. 1 in the history of the ATP rankings (since 1973). He took the top spot in the rankings for the second time earlier this year when he defeated Daniil Medvedev to clinch his maiden Indian Wells Open title.

In a press conference earlier this year, Alcaraz expressed excitement at defending many titles and fighting for the No. 1 ranking in 2023, saying:

"I have a good year ahead of me. I'm defending one title or another, I have some very nice tournaments ahead and I hope to enjoy them. As you said, I'm fighting for the number one with Djokovic, [Stefanos] Tsitsipas, they are the closest, but that does not mean that behind there are no other players."