There is currently no other tennis player like this in the world who makes such rapid progress. At the beginning of 2020, at the age of only 16, he was ranked near the 500th place and made his debut in the series. Now he won the tournament in Rio de Janeiro and was in 20th position. He became the eighteenth-ever tennis player to be ranked so high before his nineteenth birthday celebration. The last time his idol did it in 2005 (though, paradoxically, there is a picture of Roger Federer in a room on the wall).
“I’ve never seen anyone hit the ball that hard.”
The beginning of Carlos Alcaraz’s career is really impressive. Last year, he reached the US Open quarter-finals. And this despite contracting the coronavirus in November and skipping all previous tournaments. In the third round, he defeated number four in the world ranking – the Greek. And after what game! He lost the fourth set 0: 6, but he was able to get up, show a huge character and win the decisive game in the tie-break.
– The ball speed was amazing. I’ve never seen anyone hit the ball that hard. It took me a while to adjust to it, said Tsitsipas after the game.
– He’s a fighter at court. The best players are distinguished by a strong character. If you play with Tsitsipas on the biggest court in the world, you lose immediately. With Carlos, it’s just the opposite. It seems to grow every day, which is a very good sign for me – praised Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach, former leader of the world ranking.
Thanks to this victory, the Spaniard went down in the history of discipline. He became the youngest tennis player in the fourth round of the US Open since Michael Chang i (1989). Earlier at the Australian Open, he became the first 2003 player to win a Main Event, making his Grand Slam debut. He also became the youngest single to have won the Grand Slam since 2014, when Thanasi Kokkinakis also enjoyed his victory in Melbourne.
In the next round, the Spaniard impressed again. He was losing 1: 2 in sets with the experienced, 32-year-old German Peter Gojowczyk (92. ATP), but in the last two sets he completely smashed his rival and lost only … two games. The duel lasted nearly three and a half hours. In the fight for the semi-final, Alcaraz had to scratch due to health problems.
“His playing is electrifying. It’s a bit like lightning in a bottle.”
Alcaraz started last season in 141th place in the world. Before he was 55th, and after this tournament he moved up to 50th position. Then he followed the blow. In the October tournament in Vienna, he was eliminated only in the semi-finals. Earlier, he defeated, among others two-time Olympic champion Andy Murray (89th ATP), and the number six world ranking – Italian Matteo Berrettini.
– His game is electrifying. It’s a bit like lightning in a bottle. He has a fast racket like Andre Agassi and fast feet like Rafa. He can play on the line and knows how to step back when needed. At eighteen he is already 30 in the world, so I just can’t imagine how good he will be in two years if he is healthy – said Paul Annacone, former coach of Pete Sampras and in an interview with “The New York Times”
He has also proved that he is the most talented tennis player of the young generation in the “Next Gen Finals”, the annual ATP tennis tournament for players under 21 years of age. It has been played since 2017 on hard courts in the hall in Milan. Alcaraz achieved a complete set of five wins in it. He lost only one set. It is also worth adding that last year the Spaniard was also in the third round, semi-finals in Winston-Salem, Marbella and won the tournament in Umag.
The youngest winner of the ATP 500 tournament in the history of tennis
Alcaraz is also doing very well at the start of this season. At the Australian Open, he played one of the most interesting matches of the entire tournament. After a brilliant match, lasting over four hours, he lost in five sets, after a tie-break in the deciding game, with the favored one. He was close to catching up because he was already losing 0: 2 in sets.
Three weeks after this event, the Spaniard moved to his favorite clay courts. At the tournament in Rio de Janeiro he was seeded seventh. Interestingly, it was at this event that he made his debut in the main series two years ago. He was then classified 407th in the ATP ranking and was eliminated in the second round after losing to Argentinian Federico Coria.
Now he has done a great job. He faced Berrettini for the third time in less than four months, but this time he won three sets. In the final he gave no chance to the specialist on this surface – the Argentinian (13th ATP) and in one and a half hours he defeated him 6: 4, 6: 2. It was the first ATP 500 tournament he had ever won. He also became the youngest tennis player in history to triumph in a tournament of such a high rank.
As a reward, Alcaraz was promoted to the best “20” ATP ranking for the first time in his career. For winning the Rio Open, he received 500 points for the ATP ranking and 317.4 thousand. financial bonus dollars.
– I really can’t believe what happened. It’s been a great week for me. I have played my first tournament on earth in a long time and I am pleased with the way I performed in it. I did not think that I could be in such good shape here. I have beaten many great rivals on these courts. It’s amazing what he feels now – said Alcaraz after the victory.
Uncle Toni is delighted
– Carlos Alcaraz – Tennis fans should remember this name. The 18-year-old went down in history. Rafael Nadal’s uncle himself and long-time coach called Alcaraz “New Nadal”. – I would like to be in the top ten in the ranking, but you have to work for it.
Toni Nadal, the uncle of the legendary tennis player who helped his nephew win 21 Grand Slam titles, called the 18-year-old “New Nadal”. It is a great honor, but also the pressure that accompanies the boy. Juan Carlo Ferrero is aware of this.
– In Spain, everyone is crazy about it. They say it’s the next Raf. Carlos does not comment on this, and we as his team try to cut him off from the interest of the media and fans. The comparisons are natural, because the Spaniards have not had a player at the age of 18 playing at such a level for a long time – admitted Juan Carlos Ferrero.
When Nadal triumphed at the Australian Open four weeks ago, Alcaraz said. – It was a great final. I watched it at home and was happy to win the title. Rafa is a real role model, admitted the Spaniard.
“We have to go home. And he’s crying again.”
Alcaraz, at the age of three, was hitting balls against the wall at the club in El Palmar with a small racket. There was no way to get him out of there. I was tired and wanted to go home after working all day, and Carlos pleaded with me, “Play with me, here on the wall.” It was already after nine and I was saying, “OK, but only 20 minutes.” And after 20 minutes, another thirty came, and he wanted more and more. home “. And he cries again, admits Alcaraz’s father to The New York Times.
Interestingly, Alcaraz’s family could not afford to pay for his travel and training, but received support from Murcian businessman Alfonso Lopez Rueda. He is a family friend who has invested nearly 2,000 euros so that Alcaraz at the age of ten could go to the tournament to.
When Alcaraz lost in the final and returned to El Palmar, Lopez Rueda said he would be pleased to continue supporting him financially. “Carlos and our family are truly grateful to him for that,” says Alcaraz’s father.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
