"My goal is to win every tournament and stay number 1" - Carlos Alcaraz throws down the gauntlet to Rafael Nadal and rest of the pack as season end nears

Carlos Alcaraz has fired a warning of sorts for the rest of the tour, confidently declaring his big goal as the end of the season approaches. The young Spaniard wants to hold onto his World No. 1 ranking at the end of the year, for which his biggest challenge will come from compatriot Rafael Nadal.

The 19-year-old has not lost the top spot in the ATP rankings since becoming the youngest-ever ATP No. 1 after winning the US Open. He now wants to win all his tournaments over the next few weeks and end the season on the highest of highs.

Alcaraz is set to compete at the Swiss Indoors Basel this week, before playing in the Paris Masters and his maiden ATP Finals. In a recent interview with SRF, the teenager opened up about his immediate goals.

"My goal is to win every tournament and stay number 1," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz hit the practice court this past weekend in Basel with Casper Ruud, whom he beat to win his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open last month. The Spaniard said that he is feeling "quite good" ahead of his opening match at the Swiss Indoors Basel against Jack Draper.

"I was training with Casper Ruud and I was able to see both the surface and the stadium first-hand. I felt quite good and I'm looking forward to the first game," Alcaraz expressed.

If Alcaraz beats Draper, he will face the winner of the match between Botic van de Zandschulp and Adrian Mannarino in the Round of 16. Fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta is a potential quarterfinal opponent for Alcaraz, while Felix Auger-Aliassime is in the same half of the draw as him.

While Alcaraz currently holds a 920-point lead over Nadal in the ATP rankings, he has more points to defend than the Spanish great, who has nothing to lose.

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Carlos Alcaraz to lead Spain's Davis Cup bid as Rafael Nadal misses out

Carlos Alcaraz pictured during Spain's Davis Cup tie against Canada.

Carlos Alcaraz will be part of Spain's squad for the Davis Cup Finals next month, while Rafael Nadal will not play in the multi-nation tournament. Team Spain are the hosts as the Davis Cup Finals will be held in Malaga. Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Marcel Granollers are the other players in the squad along with Alcaraz. Former player Sergi Bruguera is the captain of Team Spain.

Alcaraz participated in Spain's Davis Cup group stage ties in September right after winning the US Open. While he did not feature in Spain's victory against Serbia, he lost against Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first match he played since the US Open. He then stormed back with a crucial win for Spain against South Korea's Soonwoo Kwon to send the hosts to the finals.