Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz came into Paris nursing an injury, admitting he wasn’t playing to his best ability; nonetheless he managed to defeat J.J. Wolf, Jesper De Jong, and Sebastian Korda to advance into a semifinal with current world No.1 Jannik Sinner; however both players cramped significantly but Alcaraz prevailed 5 sets to 1.
Carlos Alcaraz | 1. He’s the new kid on the block
21-year-old Spaniard Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are three names that stand out among his many idols that inspired his success on hard and grass courts, respectively. As Nadal excels on clay courts, Djokovic and Federer excel on hard courts. Nadal’s winning three Grand Slam titles is no small achievement and makes an impressive statement of intent that this young player could reach such great heights of success in just his first full year on ATP circuit play.
Alcaraz has the natural instinct for victory under pressure. In 2018, he went an impressive 11-1 in five setter matches that reached five sets, winning both of those held on French soil. Alcaraz’s accomplishments make him stand alongside Nadal, Ferrero and Djokovic in history as someone capable of pulling off big victories at such an early age.
Alcaraz’s semifinal match against Jannik Sinner proved his mettle, as he overcame a two-set deficit to come back and win in three sets. Alcaraz did the same against Zverev despite suffering cramping himself; although their encounter was far from tidily played out; Alcaraz found his game and won his inaugural Coupe des Mousquetaires title; it remains to be seen whether Alcaraz’s newfound stardom will endure; nonetheless it’s evident he now belongs among an elite group of players capable of winning Grand Slam tournaments on all three surfaces despite facing fierce opposition in both instances.Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz | 2. He’s the new Nadal
Since Alcaraz made his debut in 2021, high expectations have been placed upon him. His versatile skill set allows him to compete effectively on multiple surfaces and his uncanny ability to close out matches when his back is against the wall has made an impressionful statement about him. That was evident during the semifinals when he managed to defeat Jannik Sinner after coming from two sets down to take two out of three sets against cramps; and again in the final where he overturned an early deficit against Zverev by winning 12 of 15 games outright against him to secure victory and eventually secure victory!Carlos Alcaraz
Beginning the 4-hour, 19-minute marathon was somewhat nerve-wracking for both players. Both began by making unforced errors and missing opportunities, until eventually the Spaniard began to settle in, cutting down his unforced errors while becoming more disciplined in his approach.Carlos Alcaraz
His hard work was recognized with the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy, which will carry into the Olympic tournament where he’s expected to claim both singles and doubles gold medals. By 21 years of age he is part of an exclusive club of men who have won Grand Slam championships on three different surfaces; Nadal, Federer and Djokovic having handed down this legacy for him to follow.Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz | 3. He’s the new Ferrero
This young tennis prodigy from Mallorca possesses an enviable skill set that allows him to compete across a range of surfaces, making him one of the front runners to win Grand Slam titles before turning 22 years old. Already there are multiple Grand Slam tournaments on his schedule; another may follow shortly.
He became the youngest male player ever to capture all three Grand Slam trophies – clay, grass and hard courts – by winning at each stage in Paris at age 21. Additionally, he achieved No.1 ranking at this age as well. Now he has achieved even greater fame by taking home his third title overall – most important Grand Slam trophy yet!
Alcaraz learned how to play tennis on Roland Garros as he learned of its famed red surface as he grew up there, dreaming long of joining Spain’s list of tournament winners – something which finally happened Sunday when he beat Zverev in five sets!
He demonstrated masterful endurance, shot variety and self-reflection during the final. Although cramping made his performance tougher than anticipated, trainers provided assistance during changeovers to provide treatment to keep his energy up.
In the first set, both players battled hard for control of the points. Alcaraz eventually broke serve in the fifth game to take a 5-2 lead; shortly thereafter he appeared poised to clinch it; however, break-point threats threatened his success in doing so.
Carlos Alcaraz | 4. He’s the new Spanish champion
Alcaraz won his third Grand Slam championship with victory at the French Open this year, after reaching finals at both US Open and Wimbledon last year. Ranked 21 overall, Alcaraz is the youngest ever to achieve this feat.Carlos Alcaraz
There has been much discussion of Alcaraz’s need to improve, yet his performance in Paris was remarkable. He dominated on all surfaces and managed all five sets with ease.Carlos Alcaraz
At times it looked as if Alcaraz would take control of this matchup; he bullied Zverev into running away, taking advantage of his energy level to do so. But then Alcaraz lost focus, allowing Zverev back into contention; dropping serve at what looked like an important point during the third set before being broken in game four of that set – both seemingly decisive blows to Alcaraz’s bid for glory.Carlos Alcaraz
By the fifth set, he had found his focus once more and was fighting through a sore left leg that required frequent medical timeouts. His highlight reel will include some deft flicks of backhand down the line that even kissed the line in game four! This kid has the talent, determination and self-belief necessary to continue building his legacy; we got a glimpse at all that unfolded at French Open; it looks good indeed. And we get to watch it all unfolding live.
