Alcaraz Follows Nadal as Repeat Barcelona Open Champion

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (2-L) celebrates with the trophy after defeating Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final match of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, 23 April 2023. EPA/ALEJANDRO GARCIA
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (2-L) celebrates with the trophy after defeating Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final match of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, 23 April 2023. EPA/ALEJANDRO GARCIA
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Alcaraz Follows Nadal as Repeat Barcelona Open Champion

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (2-L) celebrates with the trophy after defeating Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final match of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, 23 April 2023. EPA/ALEJANDRO GARCIA
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz (2-L) celebrates with the trophy after defeating Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final match of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament in Barcelona, Spain, 23 April 2023. EPA/ALEJANDRO GARCIA

In control and looking as dominant as ever, Carlos Alcaraz nodded his head from side to side to the tune of the music being played on the Rafa Nadal center court.

The 19-year-old Spaniard couldn't be more relaxed while sitting on the bench during a late changeover, watching the home crowd dance and enjoying the moment.

Alcaraz got up and continued to impress on the court, and it wasn't long before he was lifting yet another trophy.

Alcaraz became the first player since Rafael Nadal to repeat as Barcelona Open champion with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday, securing his third title of the year and ninth of his impressive young career.

"Me and my team were talking before the match about staying relaxed,” Alcaraz said. “To want to play the tough moments. Staying relaxed is the most important part for me. To forget the mistakes, everything, and be myself on court. Not to think about all the people watching, but just me, the court, the racket and the final.”

It was the fifth consecutive straight-set win for the second-ranked Alcaraz at his home tournament this year. He is now 10-1 in Barcelona and has won his last 14 tour matches on Spanish soil.

“It’s incredible to feel this energy, to lift the trophy here in Barcelona in front of all my people," said Alcaraz, who used to watch the tournament in the stands as a kid. “My family and my friends are here as well. To lift the trophy here in front of all of them is a great feeling.”

Alcaraz had not successfully defended a title in his career before Sunday. Nadal was the last player to win consecutive titles in Barcelona with three straight from 2016-18. Alcaraz will also try to defend his title at the upcoming Madrid Open, The Associated Press reported.

He is now 23-2 for the year. His other titles this season came at Buenos Aires and Indian Wells.

Alcaraz was playing in his fourth final in five tournaments this year, winning it with 26 winners and seven unforced errors.

He and Tsitsipas exchanged breaks early in the first set but Alcaraz eventually took control to comfortably secure his fourth consecutive win over the fifth-ranked Greek. He had also beaten Tsitsipas in the Barcelona quarterfinals last year.

“I had the opportunity to see you a few years ago for the first time, I saw you play a little bit,” Tsitsipas said of Alcaraz. “Some of us guys who were on the tour a little bit earlier than you, I think most of us were fascinated by your tennis ... we see you as an example even though we are slightly older than you. We see your achievements as something that will hopefully push us to do better.”

The 24-year-old Tsitsipas, the Australian Open finalist earlier this year, was trying to win his first title in Barcelona after twice losing the final to Nadal in 2018 and 2021. He was looking for his first title of the year, and 10th of his career.



Liverpool Restore 12-point Lead as Jota Seals Win over Everton

Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota shoots at goal REUTERS/Phil Noble
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota shoots at goal REUTERS/Phil Noble
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Liverpool Restore 12-point Lead as Jota Seals Win over Everton

Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota shoots at goal REUTERS/Phil Noble
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota shoots at goal REUTERS/Phil Noble

Liverpool continued their march towards the Premier League title with a 1-0 victory over Everton in a scrappy Merseyside derby as Diogo Jota slotted home the winner in the second half on Wednesday.

The champions elect, with 73 points after 30 games, restored their 12-point lead over second-placed Arsenal while Everton, whose nine-game league unbeaten ended, are 15th on 34 points.

Everton's Beto had an early goal chalked off for offside and missed a sitter before Jota broke the deadlock in the 57th minute with his first goal in two-and-a-half months. Anfield erupted when Luis Diaz back-heeled the ball into Jota's path and the Portuguese forward beat a tackle before firing into the net, Reuters reported.

"Massive, of course," Jota said summing up the win. "Not only because it is a derby, but because of the (first game since the) international break. It was important to start with three points and hopefully that gives us momentum for the rest of the season."

Liverpool fans thought Everton should have been reduced to 10 men after 11 minutes following a fierce tackle by defender James Tarkowski on Alexis Mac Allister, but Everton's captain was only shown a yellow card.

The teams had met in an explosive derby in February that ended 2-2, with Tarkowski equalising deep in stoppage time in a chaotic game that featured four red cards, including one to Liverpool manager Arne Slot.

While Liverpool are unbeaten in 26 league games, they went into last month's international break on a negative note after being eliminated by Paris St Germain in the Champions League and losing to Newcastle United in the League Cup final.

Slot's men looked sluggish and disjointed on Wednesday and Everton could have gone ahead when Beto raced away from defender Virgil van Dijk and beat goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher before hitting his shot against the post.

Kelleher started in goal for Liverpool, with regular starter Alisson recovering from a concussion suffered on international duty with Brazil.

The heated mood in Anfield was cranked up another notch with the contentious early tackle. Tarkowski won the ball but his studs-up follow-through caught Mac Allister square in the calf. VAR confirmed the decision of a yellow card, which gave the centre back the joint most yellow cards without being sent off in Premier League history, with 63.

"I thought at the time that it was a brilliant tackle for a derby game," Everton boss David Moyes said.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on the Sky Sports commentary that Tarkowski was very lucky to escape a red card for a tackle that was a "potential leg breaker".

"We were playing against Everton, they make it very difficult for you," Van Dijk said. The games we have played against each other over the years have always been tough.

"They have a certain way of playing and you have to be ready for it. The first half wasn't our greatest but we kept a clean sheet and obviously Jota made a fantastic goal. Three points and we move on."

Moyes remained without a victory at Anfield in 22 games leading Manchester United, Sunderland and West Ham United as well as his current team.

"Liverpool were the better team, there's no doubt about that," Moyes said.

"But I don't like the goal, I think the goal was offside. I'm really surprised it wasn't given. Or maybe I'm not surprised. I don't think many managers come here and think that they get loads of decisions at Anfield generally."