Carlos Alcaraz has long been accompanied by praise and the prospect of embodying the future of Spanish tennis.
Discovery of a phenomenon well his skin and in his game, not crushed by the weight of the comparisons.
"He is skyrocketing in a dizzying way," ignites
Marca
.
“At 17 years and 9 months, he became the first Spaniard since Rafael Nadal against Mario Ancic at Wimbledon in 2003 to win a Grand Slam match so young.”
Coming out of qualifying (youngest player to do so in Melbourne since Novak Djokovic in 2005), Carlos Alcaraz (17 years old; 141st in the world) stepped into the spotlight on Tuesday.
"A brilliant start in Grand Slam", underlines
AS
.
The great hope of Spanish tennis won his first Grand Slam match by defeating Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp (159th) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.
He is the first player of the 2003 generation to win a Grand Slam match, the youngest player to win a Grand Slam match since the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis (at the 2014 Australian Open).
From 13 years old, Alcaraz announced its great ambitions
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Teenage dream
Qualifier @ alcarazcarlos03 makes a winning Grand Slam debut with a 6-1 6-4 6-4 win over Van de Zandschulp. # AusOpen |
# AO2021pic.twitter.com / rtgCHZAtpa
- #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 9, 2021
He who at 15 had become the youngest Spanish winner of a match on the circuit (at 15), for a certain… Rafael Nadal in 2002. Rafael Nadal, a model, not a burden, nor an oppressive shadow.
“I want to be in the top 10 in the world, but you have to work for it.
My idol is Nadal, I want to be like him, ”he said at 13.
This is fantastic.
"I wanna be top 10 in the world, but you got to work for that. My idol is Nadal, I wanna be like him", a 13 years old Alcaraz.
https://t.co/vzQ6zaJ7Kl
- José Morgado (@josemorgado) February 9, 2021
Today, his eyes still wide, he shares training sessions with the Iberian tennis legend with twenty Grand Slam titles.
Invited to look at his young compatriot (right-handed, two-handed backhand) who benefits from the advice of Juan Carlos Ferrero (winner of Roland Garros in 2003), Rafael Nadal underlined in Melbourne: “He is very good.
He is very young.
He has everything to improve.
He already has a lot of good things in his game. I really believe he will have a great future because he is a good, humble, hardworking guy.
He has a lot of good things.
He has intensity.
He has passion.
He has the blows, he has all the ingredients to become a great champion.
Then it comes down to how much he can improve over the next couple of years.
It all depends on what you can improve to make the difference between a very good and an extraordinary champion. "
“I try to focus on myself, not on social media.
I don't hear the comparison with Rafa ”
Asked at a press conference about the quality of Rafael Nadal from which he would like to be inspired, Carlos Alcaraz launched: “The intensity with which he trains.
He trains very intensely all the time.
He hits the ball very hard.
He is focused from the first ball, from the first ball to the last ball.
It's a good thing to keep. ”
Before confessing about his older brother: “I try to focus on myself, not on social media.
I don't hear the comparison with Rafa. ”
On Tuesday, Carlos Alcaraz qualified before his idol for the second round of the Australian Open.
With freshness, he revisited these unforgettable moments after a strict quarantine lived in Melbourne: “Yesterday (Monday), I was relaxed, I felt good.
I slept very well.
When I woke up, I was a little nervous.
I was tense during the warm-up, during the 1st and 2nd set but I was playing well.
I felt good… I'm a guy who tries to take things naturally.
It's true that when I think of it cold, I'm in awe of being surrounded by the tennis players I used to watch as a kid, the best players in the world.
"His first match in straight sets was followed Pablo Carreno Busta:" He's like a brother.
He can help me.
It means a lot to me that Pablo supports me. ”
In the second round, the well-surrounded Spanish hope has an appointment with the Swede Mikael Ymer (22 years old; 95th).
He who already has two Tops 100 to his list (Hungarian Attlia Balazs 94th and Belgian David Goffin 14th) is impatiently awaiting the meeting.
To continue to grow.
Alcaraz, to be continued ...
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