Carlos Alcaraz swept aside Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets to win the Barcelona Open for a second year in succession.
The Spanish world No 2 secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory to become the first player to retain the title since Rafael Nadal – on the court named after Alcaraz's countryman and 22-time Grand Slam champion.
Alcaraz showed no signs of nerves in front of his home fans as he powered to a 79-minute triumph against the world No 5 from Greece.
He was playing in his fourth final in five tournaments this year, winning it with 26 winners and seven unforced errors.
It was the 19-year-old's third title this year – after victories in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells – and the ninth of what already looks like becoming a stellar career.
With 14-time French Open champion Nadal sidelined since January with a hip injury and world No 1 and two-time Roland Garros winner Novak Djokovic struggling with an elbow problem, Alcaraz looks in pole position to add the clay-court Grand Slam title to the US Open he captured last year.
Nadal was the last player to win consecutive titles in Barcelona earning three straight victories from 2016-18 and Alcaraz will now also try to defend his title at the upcoming Madrid Open.
“It is incredible,” said Alcaraz, who closed the gap on Djokovic to 365 points in the world rankings as he looks to retake the No 1 spot.
“To feel this energy and lift the trophy in Barcelona in front of my family and friends, and most members of my team are here as well. Playing this level and to lift the trophy in front of them is a good feeling for me.
“Me and my team were talking before the match about staying relaxed. To want to play the tough moments. Staying relaxed is the most important part for me.
“To forget the mistakes, everything and be myself on court. Not to think about all the people watching, but just me, the court, the racquet and the final.”
After Tsitsipas broke for 2-1 early, Alcaraz won five of the next six games to take charge of the match and was particularly dominant on serve against the big-hitting Greek.
He continued to delight the home crowd in the second set with some remarkable shots, and a solitary break in the fifth game proved enough to clinch the title without having dropped a set all week.
And it meant another fall at the last hurdle for Tsitsipas in Barcelona who was beaten by Nadal in both the 2018 and 2021 finals.
Meanwhile, Dusan Lajovic upset the in-form Andrey Rublev in the Banja Luka final on Sunday, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
World No 70 Lajovic, who knocked out Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals, snapped Rublev's eight-match winning run that began with his triumph last week in Monte Carlo.
Lajovic led 5-1 in the deciding set but had to hold off a spirited comeback from Rublev before securing victory after two hours and 32 minutes.
“Honestly it was probably the toughest match I have had in the past six months. I felt drained,” the 32-year-old Lajovic said. “From 5-1 in the third I could not feel my legs and felt a bit dizzy.
“I knew he was going to fight but somehow I managed to pull it out in the last game. I wasn't even thinking in the last game.”
More on animal trafficking
More coverage from the Future Forum
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The view from The National
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
The specs: 2018 Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic HSE
Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000
Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6
Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque: 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.4L / 100kms
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
