Paris.-After the four-hour battle against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, Carlos Alcaraz is lying face down on a stretcher. With a naked torso, sThe physio, Juanjo Moreno, is giving him a real beating, especially in that left thigh that has ended up somewhat overloaded. and that he will continue to bother him in the final with Zverev. Juanjo asks him to disconnect, to leave his mind blank, but, suddenly, the physio is surprised because he begins to hear screams coming from Carlitos’ cell phone.
“But can’t you disconnect for a while?” Juanjo asks, smiling.. Recently qualified for the final of Roland Garros, Alcaraz does not want to waste time: he is watching the second semifinal between Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud, the match from which your rival will come out. He is analyzing what is coming to him.
A while later, at the team dinner, Carlitos is already more relaxed. The tension and nerves of the match have passed and a member of his team makes a slight reproach to him. “You haven’t laughed until the fifth set. You haven’t laughed even once… When things go wrong is when you have to do it. When we’re sad, we all wait for a happy moment to celebrate. But you can also provoke it. If you laugh, that will make you happier.”that voice tells him, aware that that smile is essential to unlock the best version of Alcaraz.
No sooner said than done. In the final against Zverev, the Murcian smiled from minute one. Also in moments of tension, like when he receives five games at once in the third set, which he loses after being 5-2 up. He does not enter the fourth quarter with his head down. He comes back. Celebrates. AND It’s that smile that has the tennis planet rubbing its eyes since Sunday afternoon. “A star on earth”headlines on the front page this Monday L’Equipe.
Nobody can fully believe what is happening: that just when the best era in the history of tennis is ending, a kid is emerging who at 21 years old has already won three Grand Slams – and on three different surfaces – and who has tennis to match. do whatever you want. Time and injuries will tell where his ceiling is, but right now it is an empty exercise to wonder when and where he will stop..
“Right now In tennis we need Carlos Alcaraz more than anything. For tennis to remain relevant, Alcaraz needs to keep winning. He will change our sport and the way people view tennis.“analyses Mats Wilander, former number one, triple Roland Garros champion and now a commentator on Eurosport.
“He is a unique guy that we need around this sport for a long time. We have to love what he brings to the court. The fans that always go with him. It’s incredible. Please stay healthy”
John McEnroe
“Carlos is a breath of fresh air. He smiles and is humble. This is great for professional tennis. “It will be difficult to catch up with Carlos now that he can win even when he is not playing at his best against the best players in the world,” he adds. “He is finding ways to win when he is not playing great. This match, for me, means that he will win eight or nine Grand Slams, for sure. He could even be the next Novak Djokovic“.
«Beyond tennis, the best thing is his smile»
In a similar opinion it moves José Luis Clerc, one of the best Argentine tennis players ever. Double semi-finalist at Roland Garrosthe former tennis player came to Alcaraz’s warm-up on court 3 on Sunday morning because he is in love with tennis and Carlitos’ aura.
“With the departure of Roger Federer and with the almost departure of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz’s appearance is the best thing that could have happened to tennis. The truth is that the arrival of Carlos has given him that spice, that joy that tennis was lacking.. The future is assured,” he responds to Relevo Sweet potato Clerc, who became number four in the ATP in 1981.
“I am amazed with the speed of his legs and the speed he has with the ball. He is a player who adapts to all surfaces. And the most beautiful thing about him, do you know what it is?” asks Clerc. “Beyond tennis and power, it’s his smile,” he answers himself after a second of pause. “This boy has a tremendous light of his own. He has magnet, he has charisma. He has a unique light of his own. Neither Federer, nor Nadal, nor Djokovic had it. Carlos is unique“.
McEnroe: “Please, Carlos, stay healthy”
“The best thing of all is his smile,” continues John McEnroe, who has always declared himself the number one fan of the El Palmar tennis player. “He brings that happiness to the track when it comes to competing that is so difficult to do, to enjoy when you are in full stress at the same time. Look at Sinner, does it seem like he is enjoying every moment? No. But he looks at Alcaraz , He is a unique guy that we need around this sport for a long time. We have to love what brings us to the track. The fans that always go with him. Is incredible. Please stay healthy“.
That request from McEnroe is not in vain, because if something can prevent Alcaraz from reaching much higher levels, it is his physique. The head, although it still has to mature more, is perfectly furnished and it doesn’t seem like there are going to be any cracks there. That’s why everything indicates that the physique will be his great enemy. If your body respects you, who knows where you can go. McEnroe, for now, is amazed by everything he has achieved so far, which is not little: three majors and five Masters 1000, or in other words, eight major titles in nine finals.
“I have to say this, let it be recorded, and I have said it before: Carlos Alcaraz is my favorite player to watch. He is the most talented young player I have ever seen at his age. It’s hard to imagine that he can continue to improve because he’s already so good at everything. For me he is better than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic at 21 years old“. Word of Big Mac.
