"It is amazing to be the player who has won the most matches this year, but for now I am focused just on the final" - Carlos Alcaraz after reaching Croatia Open 2022 final

Carlos Alcaraz continued his ascendancy in 2022, reaching the final of the Croatia Open in Umag. With the victory, the Spaniard is set to become the new World No. 4 in the ATP rankings next week, the first time he has achieved the feat.

Facing off against Italian youngster Giulio Zeppieri in the semifinals on Saturday, the teenager was stretched to three sets but kept his cool to eventually wrap up the contest 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. As a result, he will displace Stefanos Tsitsipas from the fourth spot when the rankings are refreshed on Monday.

Alcaraz also tied Tsitsipas' record for most matches won in 2022 in the process, bringing up his 42nd win on tour. Speaking in his on-court interview after the result, the reigning Madrid Open champion remarked that it felt "amazing" to achieve both those feats.

However, the Spaniard made it clear that he was focussed on the task at hand -- playing the summit clash on Sunday, and that the celebrations could wait until he was done getting his hands on the trophy.

"It is amazing to be the player who has won the most matches this year on Monday, but for now I am focused just on the final," Carlos Alcaraz said.

Carlos Alcaraz takes on Jannik Sinner in the final of the 2022 Croatia Open

Carlos Alcaraz takes on Jannik Sinner in the final of the 2022 Croatia Open

Following his victory over Giulio Zeppieri, Carlos Alcaraz will lock horns with another Italian - Jannik Sinner - in the final of the 2022 Croatia Open. Sinner defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets in the semifinals to set up a meeting with the Spaniard.

Alcaraz and Sinner have met twice on the ATP tour before, with their head-to-head tied at 1-1. While the World No. 5 won their first encounter at the 2021 Paris Masters in straight sets, the Italian had his revenge at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, beating Alcaraz in four sets.

However, this will be their first meeting on clay, a surface that is widely considered to be Alcaraz's best surface. A victory on Sunday for the Italian would give him his first ever title on clay as well as his first trophy this year. Overall, it would be the World No. 10's sixth ATP tour title.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, has also won five titles overall, but four of them have come this year. On clay, the Spaniard has won four titles so far, one of which was at the Croatia Open last year.