Carlos Alcaraz clinches first title of 2025 with win over Alex de ...

Carlos Alcaraz beat Alex de Minaur 6-4 3-6 6-2 in the Rotterdam Open final to pick up his first title of the year.

The top seed was competing at the tournament for the first time, and Sunday's final saw him clinch his first indoor title.

The Spaniard secured the opening set with a superb performance on first serve. De Minaur fired back in the second set, in which Alcaraz was forced to save three break points before the Australian finally clinched it.

But a dominant showing in the deciding set ensured Alcaraz picked up his 17th career title at the age of 21.

"Coming here [not] feeling 100% well with the cold but after every day I'm feeling better and better."

Alcaraz had been taken to three sets by both Botic van de Zandschulp and Hubert Hurkacz.

"Rotterdam has been a really special week for me," he added. "I was going to say not only for the title…for the title as well, but for the support that I received here since the first day.

"It was the first time that I [was] playing here and you made it like I've been playing this tournament for a long time."

After exercising control of the first set, Alcaraz was pushed back in the second by De Minaur, who pressured the Spaniard with his aggressive shots.

Despite that, Alcaraz was able to restore his dominance in the third set and won five of the last six games to clinch the trophy.

"We're pushing for bigger and better things," De Minaur said. "It’s been a lot of improvements in my game over the last couple years and I'm going to keep on pushing for more.

"It's been two years now with this runner-up trophy. I'm hoping I'll get my hand on the winners' one day."---