Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz scripted history when he became the second teenager to reach the final of the US Open since 1990, with a hard-fought victory over American star Frances Tiafoe, on Friday, September 9. He also became the youngest player to qualify for a Grand Slam final since Rafael Nadal in the 2005 French Open.

The third seed will now face Norwegian star Casper Ruud in the final on Sunday, September 11, which will also decide the ATP No.1 ranked player.

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz advances to US Open final, beats Frances Tiafoe

Alcaraz began the match underwhelmingly, dropping the first set. However, he made a comeback in the second and third sets, before conceding the fourth to Tiafoe. He went on to win the deciding fifth set after a tough fight, with a score of 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

“It’s amazing to be able to fight for big things. First time in the final of a Grand Slam. I can see the No. 1 in the world, but at the same time it’s so far away,” Alcaraz said after his victory on Friday night.

“I have one more to go against a player (Casper Ruud) who is unbelievable. He deserves to play a final. He played the final of a Grand Slam in Roland Garros. This is my first time,” the youngster added.

The youngster won nine of 10 games before conceding the fourth set. His opponent, Frances Tiafoe, forced Alcaraz to a fifth set with a US Open record of 8-0 in tie-breaks.

Also Read: US Open 2022: Carlos Alcaraz’s road to the final

The match lasted for five hours and 15 minutes and ended at 2.50 am local time. It was the maiden Grand Slam semifinal for both Alcaraz and Tiafoe, which turned out to be memorable for all the right reasons.

Tiafoe displayed an impressive performance in the fifth set as Alcaraz registered a 2-0 lead. However, he registered a comeback in the third game, making the score 2-1. He forced Alcaraz to his limit, however, the teenager managed to clinch the victory with a score of 6-3 in the deciding set.