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Carlos Alcaraz equals Juan Carlos Ferrero’s record season

Originally posted on HITC | By Callum Davies | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 7:58 AM ET

Carlos Alcaraz picked up his 24th ATP Tour title on Tuesday, claiming his first win at the Japan Open.

Alcaraz, who has since pulled out of the Shanghai Masters, made the most of Taylor Fritz’s injury struggles in the final, coming away with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

The win is Alcaraz’s eighth ATP Tour title in 2025 alone, highlighting the progress he and his team have made over the past year.

Despite being just 22 years old, Alcaraz has already surpassed what Ferrero achieved during his playing days.

He did so by spending four weeks at world number one – a stint that began following Roger Federer’s loss to Andy Murray at Indian Wells that year.

Alcaraz matches Juan Carlos Ferrero’s most prolific ATP season

For Juan Carlos Ferrero, 2003 was a year that could easily be considered the pinnacle of his playing days. He won titles in both Monte-Carlo and Valencia before going on to claim his first and only Grand Slam title at Roland Garros.

His run to the US Open final that year also saw him reach world number one for the first time in his career, a milestone he hit on September 8th.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for Laver Cup

By the time the season wrapped up, Ferrero had compiled 67 singles wins – a career high for him at that point.

Jump ahead to 2025, and Carlos Alcaraz has already matched Ferrero’s best-ever total for a single season.

The 22-year-old has won 67 singles matches this season, including his one singles victory at the Laver Cup.

Alcaraz uncertain for Six Kings Slam after ankle concerns

Carlos Alcaraz is currently recovering from a left ankle issue that forced him to pull out of the Shanghai Masters, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be fit in time for the Six Kings Slam.

After his victory in Japan, Alcaraz spoke again about the intensity of the ATP Tour calendar, suggesting he might reconsider his participation. It wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to skip this event given those concerns.

The exhibition runs from 15-18 October and includes Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas among its entrants.

Jannik Sinner took home last year’s title, beating Alcaraz in the final. Given their recent form, a rematch could certainly be on the cards if both are available to play.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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