The Spanish Carlos Alcaraz, number 1 in the world, has confirmed this Wednesday his participation in the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell-Trofeo Conde de Godó 2023. The Murcian tennis player will defend the title he won last year, when he beat Pablo Carreño in the final.
“Alcaraz is a unique player, with a lot of charisma and who also has fun on the court. He has exceptional conditions to be able to dominate the point against any rival and that makes him different from any other player. And we are talking about a number one in the world who has been the youngest in history to achieve it. He still has a whole career ahead of him to continue to improve and develop as a player. He will be the great dominator of the circuit for the next ten years, without a doubt, ”said David Ferrer, sports director of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.
The one from Alcaraz is the first confirmed name for the tournament that, like every year, will take place the third week of April. On the 15th and 16th the preliminary phase will be held, while the main draw will start on the 17th with the grand final on a very special day for Catalonia, on April 23rd, the day of Sant Jordi. The tournament celebrates its 70th anniversary this year and will feature a line-up worthy of this important tennis event that brings together the best tennis players on the international scene year after year.
Alcaraz became the youngest number 1 in history in September after winning the US Open. A 2022 in which he has established himself among the best, also winning tournaments in Miami, Madrid or the Conde Godó Trophy itself. “Sometimes I think that everything that has happened to me this year is a dream. I say to myself: 'Is it real?'", he expressed incredulous this week before the media.
The man from El Palmar has just overcome an abdominal injury and will participate in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, the Mubadala World Championship these days. His first official championship of 2023 will be the Australian Open, which will take place from January 16 to 30.
Alcaraz debuted in this tournament in 2019, at the age of 15, thanks to an invitation from the organization. He played the previous phase and fell in his debut against the Portuguese Pedro Sousa. In 2021 he made his first main draw debut at the age of 17, losing in the first round to American Frances Tiafoe. Last year, in what was his second appearance in Barcelona's main draw, he clinched the title after beating Soonwoo Kwon (6-1, 2-6, 6-2), Jaume Munar (6-3, 6- 3), Stefanos Tsitsipas (6-4, 5-7, 6-2), Alex de Minaur (6-7(4), 7-6(4), 6-4) and Pablo Carreño (6-3, 6 -two).
For more than 120 years, the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899 has been the setting where great champions have forged their legends and where the stars of the future have launched their careers such as Rod Laver, Arthur Ashe, Suzanne Lenglen, Manolo Santana, Bjorn Borg , Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal. Since 1953, the Conde de Godó Trophy has been a tournament with its own stamp and the dream of its founder, Carlos Godó (Conde de Godó), has become a tradition within this sport.
