Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, aged 18, on Monday became the youngest player to enter the top 10 of the ATP world rankings since his compatriot Rafael Nadal did so at the same age in 2005.
Alcaraz climbed two places to ninth in the world due to his straight-sets victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in the Barcelona Open final on Sunday. Britain's Cameron Norrie drops out of the top 10 to number 11.
It was the third title of the season for Alcaraz, having won the Miami Masters at the beginning of the month and the Rio tournament in February.
"I did not think I would reach this stage at 18-years-old," he told a news conference at a junior event. "It is for the first time for me in the top ten. It means a lot.
"For me it's a dream come true and I have been fighting for this since I was a child. I work every day, work hard to be here to have chance to get titles to beat the top players in the world but not at this age."
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About the fact that his and Nadal's age at the time of their top 10 debut happens to be the same, he said, "It is just a coincidence that it's the same with Rafa. I just focus on my game."
Alcaraz is now one of the favourites for the French Open title along with Nadal.
"I am playing well, with a lot of confidence for myself. I am going to have chances to get results in Roland Garros, to be in the last rounds," he said at the IMG Future Stars Under-12 tournament.
"I reached my goal to be (in the) top 10. I want to keep growing as a player, improving every day, trying to keep claiming titles, trying to climb up the rankings."
Carreno Busta swaps places with another Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, the former climbing to 18 and the latter moving down one spot to 19th.
Novak Djokovic still sits atop the standings despite losing to Russian Andrey Rublev in the final of the Belgrade Open. World number two Daniil Medvedev is out with a hernia problem.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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