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Bad Bunny Leads Pack of People’s Choice Awards Nominees with Seven Nods

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Bad Bunny is this year’s People’s Choice darling…

NBC and E! have announced this year’s People’s Choice Awards nominations, with the 28-year-old Puerto Rican rapper and singer earning seven nods.

Bad BunnyBad Bunny will compete for Concert Tour of 2022, Latin Artist of 2022, Male Artist of 2022 and Social Celebrity of 2022.

He’s also up for Song of 2022 for his hit single “Me Porto Bonito”with Chencho Corleone, Album of 2022 for Un Verano Sin Ti, and Collaboration Song of 2022 for “Party” with Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, a two-time nominee.

Selena Gomez is the top Latina nominee this year…

The 30-year-old Mexican American actress/singer received four nods, including Social Celebrity of 2022, Comedy TV Star of 2022 and Female TV Star of 2022 for her work on Only Murders in the Building, and Music Video of 2022 for “Let Somebody Go,” her song with Coldplay.

In addition to Rauw, two-time nominees include Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello and Karol G.

One-time nominees include Rafael Nadal, Brent Rivera, Anitta, Shakira, Sebastian Yatra, Rosalia, Becky G and Oscar Isaac.

Saturday Night Live cast member Kenan Thompson will return to host this year’s People’s Choice Awards, marking his second consecutive ceremony.

Voting is now open and fans worldwide can vote for their favorite nominee in each of the 40 categories representing movies, television, music and pop culture.

The 2022 People’s Choice Awards will air simultaneously on NBC and E! on Tuesday, December 6 at 9:00 pm ET/PT from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA.

Live from E!: The 2022 People’s Choice Awards will kick off the night with a red carpet special at 7:00 pm ET/PT on E!.

Here’s a look at the nominees:

Movie of 2022
Bullet Train
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Elvis
Jurassic World Dominion
Nope
The Batman
Thor: Love and Thunder
Top Gun: Maverick

Comedy Movie of 2022
Fire Island
Hustle
Hocus Pocus 2
Marry Me
Senior Year
The Adam Project
The Lost City
Ticket To Paradise

Action Movie of 2022
Black Adam
Bullet Train
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Jurassic World Dominion
The Batman
The Woman King
Thor: Love and Thunder
Top Gun: Maverick

Drama Movie of 2022
Nope
Death on the Nile
Don’t Worry Darling
Elvis
Halloween Ends
Luckiest Girl Alive
Scream
Where the Crawdads Sing

Male Movie Star of 2022
Brad Pitt – Bullet Train
Chris Hemsworth – Thor: Love and Thunder
Chris Pratt – Jurassic World Dominion
Daniel Kaluuya – Nope
Dwayne Johnson – Black Adam
Miles Teller – Top Gun: Maverick
Ryan Reynolds – The Adam Project
Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick

Female Movie Star of 2022
Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Gal Gadot – Death on the Nile
Jennifer Garner – The Adam Project
Jennifer Lopez – Marry Me
Joey King – Bullet Train
Keke Palmer – Nope
Queen Latifah – Hustle
Viola Davis – The Woman King

Drama Movie Star of 2022
Austin Butler – Elvis
Daniel Kaluuya – Nope
Florence Pugh – Don’t Worry Darling
Gal Gadot – Death on the Nile
Harry Styles – Don’t Worry Darling
Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween Ends
Keke Palmer – Nope
Mila Kunis – Luckiest Girl Alive

Comedy Movie Star of 2022
Adam Sandler – Hustle
Channing Tatum – The Lost City
Jennifer Garner – The Adam Project
Jennifer Lopez – Marry Me
Julia Roberts – Ticket To Paradise
Queen Latifah – Hustle
Ryan Reynolds – The Adam Project
Sandra Bullock – The Lost City

Action Movie Star of 2022
Chris Hemsworth – Thor: Love and Thunder
Chris Pratt – Jurassic World Dominion
Dwayne Johnson – Black Adam
Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Joey King – Bullet Train
Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick
Viola Davis – The Woman King
Zöe Kravitz – The Batman

Show of 2022
Abbott Elementary
Better Call Saul
Grey’s Anatomy
House of the Dragon
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Saturday Night Live
Stranger Things
This Is Us

Drama Show of 2022
Better Call Saul
Cobra Kai
Euphoria
Grey’s Anatomy
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Ozark
The Walking Dead
This Is Us

Comedy Show of 2022
Abbott Elementary
Black-ish
Only Murders in the Building
Never Have I Ever
Saturday Night Live
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
Young Rock
Young Sheldon

Reality Show of 2022
90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation
Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta
The Kardashians
The Real Housewives of Atlanta
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Selling Sunset

Competition Show of 2022
America’s Got Talent
American Idol
Dancing with the Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race
The Bachelorette
The Masked Singer
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls
The Voice

Male TV Star of 2022
Dwayne Johnson – Young Rock
Ewan McGregor – Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ice-T – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Jason Bateman – Ozark
Noah Schnapp – Stranger Things
Norman Reedus – The Walking Dead
Oscar Isaac – Moon Knight
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us

Female TV Star of 2022
Millie Bobby Brown – Stranger Things
Ellen Pompeo – Grey’s Anatomy
Kristen Bell – The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan – Never Have I Ever
Mandy Moore – This Is Us
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building

Drama TV Star of 2022
Ellen Pompeo – Grey’s Anatomy
Jason Bateman – Ozark
Mandy Moore – This Is Us
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Norman Reedus – The Walking Dead
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us
Sydney Sweeney – Euphoria
Zendaya – Euphoria

Comedy TV Star of 2022
Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live
Dwayne Johnson – Young Rock
Kenan Thompson – Saturday Night Live
Kristen Bell – The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan – Never Have I Ever
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building
Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish

Daytime Talk Show of 2022
Good Morning America
Live with Kelly and Ryan
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Jennifer Hudson Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
The View
Today with Hoda and Jenna

Nighttime Talk Show of 2022
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Late Night with Seth Meyers
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
The Late Late Show with James Corden
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Competition Contestant of 2022
Charli D’Amelio – Dancing with the Stars
Bosco – RuPaul’s Drag Race
Gabby Windey – The Bachelorette
Mayyas – America’s Got Talent
Noah Thompson – American Idol
Selma Blair – Dancing with the Stars
Teyana Taylor – The Masked Singer
Willow Pill – RuPaul’s Drag Race

Reality TV Star of 2022
Chrishell Stause – Selling Sunset
Garcelle Beauvais – The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Kandi Burruss – The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Kenya Moore – The Real Housewives of Atlanta
Khloé Kardashian – The Kardashians
Kim Kardashian – The Kardashians
Kyle Richards – The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino – Jersey Shore: Family Vacation

Bingeworthy Show of 2022
Bridgerton
Bel-Air
Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Inventing Anna
Severance
The Bear
The Boys
The Thing About Pam

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show of 2022
House of The Dragon
La Brea
Moon Knight
Obi-Wan Kenobi
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Stranger Things
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
The Umbrella Academy

Male Artist of 2022
Bad Bunny
Charlie Puth
Drake
Harry Styles
Jack Harlow
Kendrick Lamar
Luke Combs
The Weeknd

Female Artist of 2022
Beyoncé
Camila Cabello
Doja Cat
Lady Gaga
Lizzo
Megan Thee Stallion
Nicki Minaj
Taylor Swift

Group of 2022
BTS
5 Seconds of Summer
BLACKPINK
Coldplay
Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
OneRepublic
Panic! At The Disco

Song of 2022
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“As It Was” – Harry Styles
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Hold My Hand” – Lady Gaga
“Me Porto Bonito” – Bad Bunny & Chencho Corleone
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj
“Wait For U” – Future Featuring Drake & Tems

Album of 2022
Dawn FM – The Weeknd
Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
Harry’s House – Harry Styles
Midnights – Taylor Swift
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar
Renaissance – Beyoncé
Special – Lizzo
Un Verano Sin Ti – Bad Bunny

Country Artist of 2022
Carrie Underwood
Kane Brown
Kelsea Ballerini
Luke Combs
Maren Morris
Miranda Lambert
Morgan Wallen
Thomas Rhett

Latin Artist of 2022
Anitta
Bad Bunny
Becky G
Shakira
Karol G
Rauw Alejandro
Rosalía
Sebastián Yatra

New Artist of 2022
Chlöe
Dove Cameron
GAYLE
Latto
Lauren Spencer-Smith
Muni Long
Saucy Santana
Steve Lacy

Music Video of 2022
“Anti-Hero” – Taylor Swift
“As It Was” – Harry Styles
“Left And Right (feat. Jung Kook of BTS)” – Charlie Puth
“Let Somebody Go” – Coldplay X Selena Gomez
“Oh My God” – Adele
“Pink Venom” – BLACKPINK
“PROVENZA” – KAROL G
“Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment) Official” – BTS

Collaboration Song of 2022
“Left And Right” – Charlie Puth Featuring Jung Kook
“Bam Bam” – Camila Cabello Featuring Ed Sheeran
“Do We Have A Problem?” – Nicki Minaj X Lil Baby
“Freaky Deaky” – Tyga X Doja Cat
“Hold Me Closer” – Elton John & Britney Spears
“Jimmy Cooks” – Drake Featuring 21 Savage
“Party” – Bad Bunny & Rauw Alejandro
“Sweetest Pie” – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa

Concert Tour of 2022
BTS PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE
Bad Bunny: World’s Hottest Tour
Billie Eilish: Happier Than Ever, The World Tour
Dua Lipa Future Nostalgia Tour
Ed Sheeran Tour
Harry Styles Love On Tour
LADY GAGA: The Chromatica Ball
Luke Combs: The Middle of Somewhere Tour

Social Celebrity of 2022
Bad Bunny
Charlie Puth
Doja Cat
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Reese Witherspoon
Selena Gomez
Snoop Dogg

Social Star of 2022
Addison Rae
Brent Rivera
Charli D’Amelio
Jay Shetty
Khaby Lame
Mikayla Jane Nogueira
Mr Beast
Noah Beck

Comedy Act of 2022
Amy Schumer: Whore Tour
Chris Rock Ego Death World Tour 2022
David Spade: Nothing Personal (Netflix)
Jo Koy: Live from the LA Forum
Kevin Hart: Reality Check
Steve Martin & Martin Short You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today
Wanda Sykes – Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration (Netflix)
Whitney Cummings – Jokes (Netflix)

Game Changer of 2022
Chloe Kim
LeBron James
Megan Rapinoe
Nathan Chen
Rafael Nadal
Russell Wilson
Serena Williams
Steph Curry

Pop Podcast of 2022
Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain
Archetypes
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
Call Her Daddy
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Not Skinny But Not Fat
SmartLess
Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer

Carlos Alcaraz & Rafael Nadal Make ATP Rankings History

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Carlos Alcaraz and his childhood idol have combined for a ranktastic moment…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, and No. 2 Rafael Nadal are the first countrymen to top the ATP rankings in 22 years.

Carlos AlcarazAnd Alcaraz and Nadal are the first men from somewhere other than the United States to sit at 1-2 since the tour introduced computerized rankings in 1973.

Alcaraz rose to the top spot by winning the US Open last month for his first Grand Slam title, becoming the youngest man ever to be No. 1.

Nadal is a 36-year-old Spaniard who has spent 209 weeks atop the rankings and owns a men’s-record 22 major championships, including at the Australian Open in January and the French Open in June. He rose from No. 3 to No. 2 on Monday, swapping places with US Open runner-up Casper Ruud.

The last time players from the same country held Nos. 1 and 2 in the ATP rankings was in August 2000, when Americans Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras did it.

“Proud to share this historic moment with @RafaelNadal, the best player of all-time,” Alcaraz wrote in Spanish on Twitter.

Rafael Nadal to Play Doubles with Roger Federer at Laver Cup

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Rafael Nadal is partnering with his oldest rival…

The 36-year-old Spanish tennis superstar will join forces with Roger Federer as he plays the final professional match of his career at the Laver Cup in London on Friday.

Rafael NadalAt Thursday’s draw, it was confirmed that Federer will join Nadal for Team Europe against the American pair of Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock for Team World on Friday night.

Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, will then be replaced by Italy’s Matteo Berrettini for the rest of the event.

“It’s super special playing with Rafa,” Federer said in a news conference. “… To be able to do that one more time, I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful.”

Said Nadal: “Tomorrow is going to be a special thing. Difficult. Going to be difficult to handle everything, especially for Roger, without a doubt. But for me too. At the end, one of the most important players — if not the most important player — in my tennis career is leaving.”

Federer, 41, who announced last week that he’s retiring because of an ongoing right knee issue, had said Wednesday that playing alongside 22-time Slam champion Nadal would be a unique, fitting way to go out.

“For as long as we battled together, having had always this respect for one another, our families, coaching teams, for us as well to go through a career we both have had, come out the other side and have a nice relationship, is maybe a great message to tennis and beyond,” Federer said.

The three-day team event will begin Friday afternoon at The O2 Arena with two singles matches. Norwegian Casper Ruud, the runner-up at the US Open earlier this month, will play Sock in the opener before Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece takes on Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman.

The evening session will begin with former world No. 1 Andy Murray up against Alex de Minaur before Federer takes the court for the final time.

“I’m not sure if I can handle it all, but I’ll try,” Federer said Thursday about his sure-to-be-emotional on-court farewell.

Tiafoe, who beat Nadal en route to his first Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open this month, deadpanned about the matchup, “Yeah, I’m just excited to play two up-and-comers tomorrow,” before adding, “It’s going to be iconic to be a part of that. Both guys are absolute legends.”

Federer and Nadal played each other in singles 40 times (Nadal won 26), including 14 Grand Slam matchups (Nadal won 10, going 6-3 in finals). Nadal came out on top in their classic 2008 Wimbledon final, considered by some the greatest match in history, while Federer won their last showdown, in the 2019 semifinals at the All England Club.

They also played one other doubles match together, defeating Jack Sock and Sam Querrey at the inaugural Laver Cup in 2017.

“To be part of this historic moment,” Nadal said about Friday, “is going to be something amazing, unforgettable.”

Carlos Alcaraz Wins US Open Title to Become Youngest Man to Lead ATP Rankings

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Carlos Alcaraz has doubled up on his significant achievements…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 to claim his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, in his first appearance in a Grand Slam final no less.

Carlos AlcarazIn the process, Alcaraz is now the No. 1 player in men’s tennis.

Alcaraz used his combination of moxie and maturity to Ruud for the trophy at Flushing Meadows and become the youngest man to lead the ATP rankings.

“Well, this is something that I dreamed of since I was a kid,” said Alcaraz, whom folks of a certain age might still consider a kid. “It’s something I worked really, really hard [for]. It’s tough to talk right now. A lot of emotions.”

Appearing in his eighth major tournament and second at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz has attracted plenty of attention as someone considered the next big thing in men’s tennis.

He’s the youngest man to win a major title since Rafael Nadal was the same age at the 2005 French Open, and the youngest at the US Open since 19-year-old Pete Sampras in 1990.

“He’s one of these few rare talents that comes up every now and then in sports. That’s what it seems like,” said Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway. “Let’s see how his career develops, but it’s going all in the right direction.”

Alcaraz was serenaded by choruses of “Ole, Ole, Ole! Carlos!” that reverberated off the closed roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium — and he often motioned to the supportive spectators to get louder.

He only briefly showed signs of fatigue from having to get through three consecutive five-setters to reach the title match, something no one had done in New York in 30 years. He spent a total of 23 hours, 40 minutes on court in the tournament, the most by any men’s player during any one major tournament since the start of 2000.

Alcaraz went five sets against 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the fourth round, ending at 2:23 a.m. Tuesday; against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, a 5-hour, 15-minute thriller that ended at 2:50 a.m. Friday after Alcaraz needed to save a match point; and against Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals.

“You have to give everything on court. You have to give everything you have inside. I worked really, really hard to earn it,” Alcaraz said after the final. “It’s not time to be tired.”

This was not a stroll to the finish, though.

Alcaraz dropped the second set and faced a pair of set points while down 6-5 in the third. But he erased each of those point-from-the-set opportunities for Ruud with the sorts of quick-reflex, soft-hand volleys he repeatedly displayed. And with help from a series of shanked shots by a tight-looking Ruud in the ensuing tiebreaker, Alcaraz surged to the end of that set.

“He just played too good on those points. We’ve seen it many times before: He steps up when he needs to,” Ruud said. ‘When it’s close, he pulls out great shots.”

One break in the fourth was all it took for Alcaraz to seal the victory in the only Grand Slam final between two players seeking both a first major championship and the top spot in the ATP’s computerized rankings, which date to 1973.

The winner was guaranteed to be first in Monday’s rankings; the loser was guaranteed to be second.

“Both Carlos and I, we knew what we were playing for. We knew what was at stake,” Ruud said. “I think it’s fitting. I’m disappointed, of course, that I’m not No. 1, but No. 2 is not too bad, either.”

He is now 0-2 in Slam finals after being runner-up to Nadal at the French Open in June.

Ruud stood way back near the wall to return serve, but also during the course of points, much more so than Alcaraz, who attacked when he could. Alcaraz went after Ruud’s weaker side, the backhand, and found success that way, especially while serving.

If nothing else, Ruud gets the sportsmanship award for conceding a point he knew he didn’t deserve. It came while he was trailing 4-3 in the first set; he raced forward to a short ball that bounced twice before Ruud’s racket touched it.

Play continued, and Alcaraz hesitated and then flubbed his response. But Ruud told the chair umpire what had happened, giving the point to Alcaraz, who gave his foe a thumbs-up and applauded right along with the spectators to acknowledge the move.

Alcaraz certainly seems to be a rare talent, possessing an enviable all-court game, a blend of groundstroke power with a willingness to push forward and close points with his volleying ability. He won 34 of 45 points when he went to the net Sunday. He is a threat while serving — he delivered 14 aces at up to 128 mph on Sunday — and returning, earning 11 break points, converting three.

Alcaraz, Ruud said, showed “incredible fighting spirit and will to win.”

Make no mistake: Ruud is no slouch, either. There’s a reason he is the youngest man since Nadal to get to two major finals in one season and managed to win a 55-shot point, the longest of the tournament, in the semifinals Friday.

But this was Alcaraz’s time to shine under the lights.

For context on the rankings, it is helpful to know that Novak Djokovic did not play at the US Open or Australian Open this year, unable to enter those countries because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, and did not receive any ranking boost for his Wimbledon championship because no points were on offer for anyone after the All England Club banned athletes from Russia and Belarus over the invasion of Ukraine.

Regardless of the circumstances, it is significant that Alcaraz is the first male teenager at No. 1. No one else did it. Not Nadal, not Djokovic, not Federer, not Sampras. No one.

When one last service winner glanced off Ruud’s frame, Alcaraz dropped to his back on the court, then rolled over onto his stomach, covering his face with his hands. Then he went into the stands for hugs with his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former No. 1 himself who won the French Open in 2003 and reached the final of that year’s US Open, and others, crying all the while.

You get to No. 1 for the first time only once. You win a first Grand Slam title only once. Many folks expect Alcaraz to be celebrating these sorts of feats for years to come.

Carlos Alcaraz Reaches First Grand Slam Semifinal in Historic Fashion at US Open

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Carlos Alcaraz has reached his first grand slam semifinal in historic fashion…

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis player triumphed in a captivating, five-set encounter against Jannik Sinner at the US Open that ended at 2:50 am local time.

Carlos AlcarazIt was, by nearly half an hour, the latest ever finish in the tournament’s history.

Alcaraz dropped to the floor and put his hand over his face in disbelief when he sealed match point having come perilously close to defeat in the previous set.

The 6-3, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 victory lasted five hours and 15 minutes – Alcaraz’s second consecutive marathon match after his five-set victory against Marin Cilic in the previous round.

Sinner was serving for the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, but Alcaraz hit back by winning the next three games in a row to force a decider – saving a match point in the process.

Sinner then led by a break in the fifth set, too, only for Alcaraz to once again refuse to bow down.

“This match is insane. I leave at 6am for the airport but I refuse to sleep and miss this,” tweeted American star Coco Gauff.

Alcaraz becomes the youngest men’s grand slam semifinalist since compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2005, and the youngest at the US Open since Pete Sampras in 1990.

“I always say that you have to believe in yourself all the time,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “Hope is the last thing that you lose … I have to stay in the match, trying to stay calm, but it’s difficult to stay calm in that moment.”

Alcaraz will next play another maiden grand slam semifinalist in Frances Tiafoe, the American having defeated Andrey Rublev in his quarterfinal.

Victory means Alcaraz could still become the youngest No. 1 in the history of the men’s rankings next week following top-ranked Daniil Medvedev’s early exit from the tournament.

Carlos Alcaraz Outlasts Marin Cilic to Reach US Open Quarterfinals & World No. 1 Hopes Alive

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Carlos Alcaraz is one step closer to tennis history…

The 19-year-old Spanish professional tennis player defeated 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic in the fourth round of the grand slam tournament, as he continues his march towards becoming the youngest World No. 1 in ATP Rankings history.

Carlos AlcarazAlcaraz, the third seed at the US Open, outlasted the former World No. 3 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows for the second consecutive year.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Alcaraz said of how he won the match. “It was pretty, pretty tough at the beginning of the fifth set [being a] break down. But Marin was playing unbelievable. I believe in myself all the time. Of course the support today in Arthur Ashe [Stadium] was crazy. Without you guys, it wouldn’t be possible to win this match tonight, so thank you very much for the support tonight, thank you.

“I would say 100 per cent of the energy I put in the fifth set was thanks to you. It was unbelievable.”

For a moment, Alcaraz’s tournament hopes of reaching No. 1 on 12 September were slipping away. Cilic caught fire from the baseline and powered his way back into the match to force a decider and led by a break early in the fifth set. But Alcaraz showed his competitive spirit and immediately struck back before surging to the finish after three hours and 53 minutes.

“After a fourth set [when] I had a lot of opportunities… it was tough for me to come back in the fifth set, to stay strong mentally,” Alcaraz said. “But as I said, the energy that I received today made me win.”

With Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal losing over the past two days, the stakes have been raised for Alcaraz in New York. Not only is the teen pursuing his maiden Grand Slam title — he is also trying to ascend to the pinnacle of men’s tennis.

If the Spaniard reaches the final and Casper Ruud does not, Alcaraz will climb to World No. 1 on the Monday after the US Open. If Ruud makes the final and Alcaraz does not, the Norwegian will ascend to the top spot. If both men make the championship match, the winner will depart with the trophy and World No. 1. Alcaraz is up to No. 2 in the ATP Live Rankings.

Alcaraz was focused on the player in front of him in the fourth round, Cilic, and he needed to be. The Spaniard withstood a barrage of booming groundstrokes from the Croatian in the early hours of the morning and found some of his best tennis when it mattered most. Alcaraz dropped to his knees to celebrate his victory and both players shared special moments with the remaining crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, thanking the fans on their way off the court.

Early in the fourth set, the dynamics of the match changed when Alcaraz began to return Cilic’s serve from near the back wall, allowing the 33-year-old to take the first big strike in rallies. Alcaraz was left scrambling to avoid playing defence against his aggressive opponent.

When Alcaraz missed a forehand to go down a break in the fifth set, Cilic appeared in control. The Croatian has plenty of experience in difficult moments and was the only Grand Slam champion remaining in the draw.

But Alcaraz’s resolve never waned. The third seed continued battling and that paid dividends when he found an incredible angle to get back on serve. He never looked back from there, finding a way through the clash in which he struck 28 winners and converted six of his 18 break points.

Next up for the Spaniard will be 11th seed Jannik Sinner, another former Next Gen ATP Finals champion. The Italian also needed five sets to win his fourth-round match.

“I played a couple of times against him. He’s a great player, a really, really tough one,” said Alcaraz, who trails their ATP Head2Head series 1-2. “I lost twice in the past two months, so I will have to be ready for this battle against Jannik.”

Rafael Nadal Surpasses Martina Navratilova on All-Time Grand Slam Match Victories List

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Rafael Nadal is moving on up…

The 36-year-old Spanish professional tennis player has advanced to the third round of Wimbledon for the 11th time after defeating Ricardas Berankis 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Thursday.

Rafael NadalIt was Nadal’s 307th Grand Slam match win, advancing him past Martina Navratilova in fourth place on the all-time list, behind Roger Federer (369), Serena Williams (365) and Novak Djokovic (330).

“Not the best start honestly,” Nadal said of Thursday’s victory. “I finished playing well. The fourth set has been the level of tennis for me, important improvement. The rest of the things, I have room to improve.”

Nadal is looking for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title, and third Wimbledon trophy.

Rafael Nadal Defeats Casper Ruud to Claim 14th French Open Title

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Rafael Nadal has officially reclaimed his King of Clay title…

The 36-year-old Spanish tennis star overwhelmed Casper Ruud in straight sets on Sunday to win his record-extending 14th French Open championship and 22nd Grand Slam title.

Rafael NadalBut he revealed after the match that he needed an injection to his ailing left foot just to be able to play.

Nadal told Eurosport after his 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 victory that he received an injection to numb his foot for Sunday’s final.

“The preparation was not ideal,” he said. “I had a stress fracture of the rib, then I have the foot [pain], which stays there all the time. I had my doctor here with me — I don’t know how to say in English what we did. We played with no feeling on the foot, we played with an injection in the nerve so the foot was asleep — that’s why I was able to play.”

During the trophy ceremony, Nadal thanked his family and support team for helping him, because otherwise, he would have needed to “retire much before.”

“I don’t know what can happen in the future,” Nadal told the crowd, “but I’m going to keep fighting to try to keep going.”

Nadal revealed during his media availability after the match that he’d been undergoing frequent injections into a nerve throughout the past two weeks at Roland Garros, serving to numb the pain in his foot caused by Mueller-Weiss syndrome. It is not a long-term solution to the chronic foot problem, and he is expected to visit a specialist next week to undergo a fresh procedure — a radiofrequency nerve ablation.

The success of that procedure will dictate whether he plays Wimbledon or not.

“I’m going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon,” Nadal said. “That’s it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody want to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon.”

He said if the procedure doesn’t work, he’ll have to decide if he’s ready to undergo a major surgery with no guarantee that it will be successful and might require a prolonged recovery time.

But he did confirm he would not go through the whole process of getting injections daily to get him through Wimbledon.

“Wimbledon is a priority, always [has] been a priority. If I am able to play with anti-inflammatories? Yes. To play with anaesthetic injections? No. I don’t want to put myself in that position again. Can happen once, but no, is not a philosophy of life that I want to follow.

“So let’s see. I am always a positive guy, and I always expect things going the right way. So let’s be confident, and let’s be positive. Then let’s see what’s going on.”

Nadal’s victory came two days after his 36th birthday and made him the oldest title winner in the history of the clay-court tournament. The oldest champion in tournament history had been Andres Gimeno, who was 34 when he won in 1972.

Ruud led 3-1 in the second set, a deficit that spurred Nadal to raise his level — he took the last 11 games. Nadal’s six games lost Sunday are tied for his second fewest in a major final. He has won six major finals in which he has conceded fewer than 10 games, breaking a tie with Richard Sears for the most by any man in tennis history.

Given his age, and of more concern, the chronic pain in his left foot that has been an off-and-on problem for years, Nadal has said repeatedly in recent days that he can never be sure whether each match at Court Philippe Chatrier might be his last.

He played crisply and cleanly, accumulating more than twice as many winners as Ruud, 37 to 16. Nadal also committed fewer unforced errors, making just 16 to Ruud’s 26.

When it ended with a down-the-line backhand from Nadal, he chucked his racket to the red clay he loves so much and covered his face with the taped-up fingers on both of his hands.

The Spanish star’s first triumph in Paris came in 2005 at age 19. No man or woman ever has won the singles trophy at any major event more times than his 14 in Paris. And no man has won more Grand Slam titles than Nadal.

He is two ahead of rivals Roger Federer, who hasn’t played in almost a year after a series of knee operations, and Novak Djokovic, who missed the Australian Open in January because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

 

For all that he has accomplished already, Nadal now has done something he never managed previously: He is halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam thanks to titles at the Australian Open and French Open in the same season.

Nadal improved to 14-0 in finals at Roland Garros and 112-3 overall at his favorite tournament.

“You are a true inspiration for me, for everyone who follows tennis around the world,” said Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway participating in his first Grand Slam final, “so I hope — we all hope — that you will continue for some more time.”

When the players met at the net for the prematch coin toss, the first chants of “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” rang out in the 15,000-seat stadium. There would be more such choruses. Ruud heard his own support, especially when he briefly went up in the second set, with some in the stands marking points he won with drawn-out pronouncements of his last name, “Ruuuuuuud,” that sounded as if they might be booing.

Ruud considers Nadal his idol. He recalls watching all of Nadal’s past finals in Paris on TV. He has trained at Nadal’s tennis academy in Mallorca.

They have played countless practice sets together there with nothing more at stake than bragging rights. Nadal usually won those, and Ruud joked the other day that’s because he was trying to be a polite guest.

The two had never met in a real match until Sunday, when a championship, money, ranking points, prestige and a piece of history were on the line. And Nadal demonstrated, as he has so often, why he’s known as the King of Clay — and among the game’s greatest ever.

“We all know what a champion you are, and today I got to feel how it is to play against you in a final. And it’s not easy,” Ruud said. “I’m not the first victim. I know that there have been many before.”

Nadal can now place this latest Coupe des Mousquetaires alongside the trophies he gathered at Roland Garros from 2005 to ’08, 2010 to ’14 and 2017 to ’20. He has also won the US Open four times and the Australian Open and Wimbledon twice apiece.

“For me, personally, it’s very difficult to describe the feelings that I have,” Nadal said. “It’s something that I, for sure, never believed — to be here at 36, being competitive again, playing in the most favorite court of my career, one more time in the final. It means a lot to me. Means everything.”

Rafael Nadal Edges Past Novak Djokovic to Reach French Open Semifinals

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Rafael Nadal is one step closer to reclaiming his throne…

The 35-year-old Spanish tennis star, known as the King of Clay, claimed a quarterfinal victory over longtime rival Novak Djokovic that began in May and ended in June at Roland Garros.

Rafael NadalWith a mix of brilliant shot-making and his trademark resilience, Nadal got past the top-seeded defending French Open champion Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4) to move a step closer to his 14th championship at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament and what would be a 22nd major trophy overall, adding to records that he already owns.

“One of those magic nights for me,” Nadal said.

The match began a little past 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, and concluded more than four hours later, after 1 a.m. Wednesday, June 1.

The bracket said this was a quarterfinal, but it felt like a final — from the quality of play to the quality of effort, from the anticipation that preceded it to the atmosphere that enveloped it.

The only missing ingredient: There was no trophy handed to the winner.

Nadal turns 36 on Friday, when he’ll face third-seeded Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. When the subject of Nadal’s future was brought up during his on-court interview, he smiled.

“See you, by the way, in two days,” Nadal said. “That’s the only thing that I can say.”

It’ll be difficult for any match the rest of the way to live up to this one.

“I lost to a better player today,” said Djokovic, who had won 22 sets in a row until the 49-minute opener against Nadal. “Had my chances. Didn’t use them. That’s it.”

This showdown was their 59th, more than any other two men have played against each other in the Open era. Nadal narrowed Djokovic’s series lead to 30-29 while improving to 8-2 against his rival at Roland Garros.

Nadal is now 110-3 for his career at the place. Two of those losses came against Djokovic, including in last year’s semifinals. This time, Nadal made sure Djokovic remains behind him in the Slam count with 20. Nadal broke their three-way tie with Roger Federer at that number by capturing the Australian Open in January, when Djokovic was not able to play because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

Carlos Alcaraz Soundly Defeats Alexander Zverev to Claim Madrid Open Title

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Carlos Alcaraz continues to impress, as he proves he belongs among the best.

The 19-year-old Spanish tennis phenom wrapped up another impressive week with a straight-set victory over Alexander Zverev on Sunday to win the Madrid Open and become the second-youngest player to win two Masters 1000 titles.

Carlos AlcarazHis comfortable 6-3, 6-1 win over Zverev followed victories over his idol Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the semifinals.

“Last year I was going through these experiences for the first time, playing against the best players, playing in the Masters 1000, and I learned a lot,” Alcaraz said. “Now it’s different. I go onto the court knowing that I can win, with the confidence that I can win at any moment.”

Alcaraz became the youngest winner in Madrid, and the second youngest to win two Masters 1000 trophies after Nadal won in Monte Carlo and Rome in 2005 as an 18-year-old. Alcaraz had already become the youngest to enter the top 10 since Nadal did it in 2005.

“It feels great to be able to beat these players,” Alcaraz said. “To beat two of the best players in history and then Zverev, the world No. 3. He is a great player. I would say this is the best week of my life.”

Carlos AlcarazIt was the seventh straight win over a top-10 player for Alcaraz, and his tour-leading fourth title of the year. He also has the most wins this season with 28, one more than Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Alcaraz tried to downplay the hype about whether he’s the best player right now, though.

“Djokovic is the No. 1 in the ranking,” he said. “It’s not because I won in Barcelona and beat Djokovic and Rafa in Madrid that I will consider myself the best player in the world. Also, I think I’m going to be No. 6 tomorrow, so I still have five players in front of me to be the best one.”

For Zverev, who was trying to win his second consecutive Madrid title – and third overall – there was no doubt about who was playing the best tennis.

“Right now you are the best player in the world,” Zverev said before the trophy ceremony and joked about his opponent’s age. “Even though you are still 5 years old, you are still beating us all, so great to see for tennis that we have such a new superstar who is going to win many Grand Slams, who is going to be No. 1 and is going to win this tournament many times.”

Alcaraz had won his first Masters 1000 tournament in Miami earlier this year. He had also won in Rio de Janeiro and Barcelona. His first career title came in Umag last year.

Alcaraz’s three losses this season came against Sebastian Korda in Monte Carlo, Nadal in Indian Wells and Matteo Berrettini in the Australian Open.

After long three-set wins over Nadal and Djokovic, the seventh-seeded Alcaraz kept his high energy from the start against Zverev and was in control throughout the match at the Caja Mágica center court.

He didn’t face any break points and converted four of the eight he had against the second-seeded Zverev. Alcaraz had 11 unforced errors compared to 25 by Zverev.

“I am 19 years old, which I think is the key to be able to play long and tough matches in a row. I am feeling great physically,” Alcaraz said.

Alcaraz said he had been worried about his condition after waking up with an infected blister and a swollen right ankle, which he injured in the win against Nadal on Friday.

Alcaraz said it was special to win in Madrid, where he first started watching tennis at an early age.

“Watching Rafa lift this trophy gave me a lot of power to work hard for this moment,” Alcaraz said. “It is a great moment for me. It is the first tournament I watched, so lifting the trophy today is so emotional.”