Carlos Alcaraz wins 2022 Wimbledon Breakthrough Inspiration award

Carlos Alcaraz might not have walked away with the Wimbledon crown this fortnight but the Spaniard has something else going for him. Alcaraz, who reached the second week of SW19 for the first time in his career, was nominated and subsequently won the 2022 Oppo Breakthrough Inspiration Award.

The award recognizes young players with a bright future or an inspirational run in the tournament and was decided in a Twitter poll by tennis fans on the social media platform.

In 2019, Coco Gauff emerged as the winner of the award, while 2021 US Open champion and home favorite Emma Raducanu clinched the award last year.

The Spaniard edged Jannik Sinner, who beat him in the last 16 by a minute fraction in the poll, which is interesting given that Sinner had a deeper run in the tournament.

Other nominees included Harmony Tan, who beat Serena Williams in the first round, and Tatjana Maria, who reached her maiden Major semifinal a little over a year after giving birth to her second child.

Tan lost to Amanda Anisimova in straight sets in the last 16 while Sinner reached the quarterfinals of SW19 and had a two-sets-to-love lead over Novak Djokovic. However, the Serb mounted an incredible comeback to reach his 11th Wimbledon semifinal in five sets.

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Carlos Alcaraz to compete at Umag and Kitzbuhel following Wimbledon exit

Carlos Alcaraz serving at the Mutua Madrid Open - Day Ten

After a hard-fought fourth-round against Jannik Sinner that saw Carlos Alcaraz lose to the Italian in four sets, the Spaniard will take a few weeks off before taking part in claycourt events at Umag and Kitzbuhel.

The 19-year-old is the defending champion at Umag, where he won his first ATP tour title by beating Richard Gasquet in the final.

Clay is Alcaraz's favored surface, with the Spaniard winning three of his four titles this season on the red dirt, including a Masters 1000 title in Madrid against Alexander Zverev in the final.

Alcaraz will likely move on to the summer hardcourt season in early August in preparation for the US Open, where the Spaniard reached the quarterfinals last year. He defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thrilling five-set encounter en route to the last eight, before retiring mid-match against Felix Auger-Aliassime in his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal.