Clinical Carlos Alcaraz wins maiden indoor hardcourt title in Rotterdam

French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz was pushed to three sets for the third time this week but again came out on top, edging third seed De Minaur 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Playing in Rotterdam for the first time in his career, Alcaraz secured a title in indoor conditions he has suggested do not suit his game.

Yet this was a magnificent display from the 21-year-old, who found a way to maintain his perfect winning record against De Minaur, beating him for a third time.

"This week has been a really good week all together," said Alcaraz. "Putting in really good work. Coming here [not] feeling 100 per cent well with the cold but after every day I'm feeling better and better.

"Rotterdam has been a really special week for me. I was going to say not only for the title, 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."

De Minaur was philosophical after his latest defeat against Alcaraz, as he suggested he is getting closer to the top player in the men's game.

"We're pushing for bigger and better things," said De Minaur, who will leap above Novak Djokovic and up to No 6 in the ATP Rankings after his impressive form in Rotterdam.

"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."

Alcaraz's win will not propel him up the ATP Rankings and that will be a topic of discussion after he highlighted his qualities once again in Rotterdam.

While there is no doubt that Jannik Sinner is a worthy world No. 1 after his dominant win at the Australian Open cemented his status as the best player in the men's game, Alcaraz the player most likely to challenge him.

Alexander Zverev is sitting in the No. 2 position in the ATP Rankings, with Alcaraz still at No 3 and unlikely to overhaul the German any time soon.

The ATP Rankings operate on a 12-month rolling points system, with Alcaraz adding points to his total after winning the ATP 500 tournament in Rotterdam.

The Spaniard didn't play in this week last year, so the 500 points he gained were added to his total, but he is still over 600 points behind Zverev, who can add to his total when he plays in the ATP Tour event in Buenos Aires this week.

Even though Zverev has yet to win a Grand Slam tournament, he is still ranked ahead of a player who is the current holder of two of the biggest titles in tennis.

Zverev, 27, was a runner-up at the 2020 US Open and his powerful game has gone to the next level, most observers would suggest Alcaraz would be a more worthy world no 2.

The alternative UTR tennis rankings that take into account recent form and they have Zverev down in fourth place in their current list, with Novak Djokovic ahead of Alcaraz after the Serbian veteran beat his young rival with an inspired performance at the Australian Open.

This is a significant debate as it means Alcaraz could face Sinner in the semi-finals of Grand Slam tournaments, with Zverev potentially avoiding clashes with the players who currently hold the Grand Slam titles until the final of big tournaments.

This debate will not be settled if Alcaraz beats Zverev in the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami, with the Spaniard defending more points from 2024 than the German in those two tournaments.

It may lead some to conclude Grand Slam wins should be worth even more than the 2,000 ranking points they currently offer to the winner, with the greats of the game defined in those four marquee events each year.

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