It will be a historic clash of generations when Feliciano Lopez and Carlos Alcaraz clash in round two of the Andalucia Open on Thursday.
The age gap of 21 years, seven months, and five days is the third-largest in ATP Tour history (Thomas Muster vs. Dominic Thiem at the 2011 Vienna event is the all-time record). Lopez is still going relatively strong at 39 years old, ranked 64th in the world. Alcaraz is already making a name for himself on the main tour at 17 years old, up to No. 133 in the rankings.
Ranking and experience are probably the only real advantages Lopez has in this one. And the Spaniard wouldn’t be ranked as high as he is if not for the change in format as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Madrid tournament director is just 3-5 this season and has lost in the first round at four of six tournaments. He has won multiple matches at only one of his last nine events–a feat he can accomplish on Thursday having already defeated Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-4 in the Marbella opening round.
Alcaraz knocked off qualifier Nikola Milojevic 7-6(3), 6-3 on Tuesday for his fifth career ATP-level match victory (fourth this year). The Spaniard won two matches at a 250-point tournament in Melbourne before reaching the Australian Open second round as a qualifier.
Alacaraz’s first win came more than a year ago on the red clay of Rio de Janeiro, where he upset Albert Ramos-Vinolas. In the fall, the teenager advanced to four clay-court Challenger finals–winning three.
Mature beyond his years and clearly a rising star on clay, Alcaraz should be too fast and too strong at the baseline for Lopez.
Pick: Alcaraz in 2
WWW?
Old guy in 3.
Old guy has a lot of pride and can mix it with the best on any given day
…on grass or a fast hard court
Alcaraz in 2. He’s up and coming, Feli is old and going and clay was never his best surface.