Carlos Alcaraz equals Rafael Nadal career record already as he wins the Rotterdam Open final

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Carlos Alcaraz has returned to winning ways after his Australian Open quarter-final exit, beating Alex de Minaur to win the Rotterdam Open.

De Minaur lost the 2024 Rotterdam Open final, with the Australian having been beaten 7-5, 6-4 by Jannik Sinner.

Alcaraz issued De Minaur with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 defeat this time around, claiming his 17th ATP Tour title in the process.

It comes after the Spaniard disappointingly fell to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne in the first Grand Slam of the season.

De Minaur meanwhile also lost his Australian Open quarter-final, falling to top seed and eventual champion Sinner.

Carlos Alcaraz equals Rafael Nadal’s one indoor hard court win at Rotterdam Open

Sinner withdrew from this year’s Rotterdam Open, with Alcaraz taking full advantage of that situation to clinch his first-ever indoor title.

Remarkably, he has now drawn level with fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal for indoor hard court titles, with the legendary figure having won his only such title at the 2005 ATP Masters 1000 Madrid.

READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz sends message to Alex de Minaur after beating him in the final of the Rotterdam Open

Nadal also won indoors at Sao Paolo in 2013, but that success came on clay, with his other 90 ATP Tour titles remarkably coming on outdoor courts.

Carlos Alcaraz makes tennis history with Rotterdam Open final win vs Alex de Minaur

De Minaur was chasing a 10th ATP title and a first win against Alcaraz, but his record now stands at 3-0 in favour of the Spaniard.

The former’s three wins have all come at ATP 500 level, with the world number three having last year become the first player to win such titles on clay, grass and hard courts.

READ MORE: Steve Johnson has theory on why Carlos Alcaraz chose to play Rotterdam rather than South American clay court tournaments in 2025

And as per Bastien Fachan, Alcaraz now has titles on clay, grass, outdoor hardcourt and indoor hardcourt at the age of 21 years and nine months.

It is younger than the Big Three of Roger Federer (21 years, 10 months), Rafael Nadal (22 years) and Novak Djokovic (24 years, 1 month).

Moreover, he has clinched tennis history with his latest success, with Alcaraz now the first Spanish winner of the Rotterdam Open since it was introduced 52 years ago.

It represents his first title of 2025, and comes after a stunning 2024 in which the four-time Grand Slam champion won four titles.