Canada's victory in the Davis Cup marked the end of the tennis season.
Nothing better to revisit a crazy season than to linger than to catalog the highlights of a year which, pell-mell, will retain the administrative disputes and the flashes of Novak Djokovic, the tears of Roger Federer, a young retiree caught up by the weight of the years and released by his body, the advent of Carlos Alcaraz, figurehead of the new generation for whom the sky is the limit, the mental and physical qualities out of the norm of Rafael Nadal, indestructible and incomparable fighter and the misfortunes of Alexander Zverev, struck down by a serious right ankle injury during an epic match at Roland-Garros against Nadal.
Best of.
Carlos Alcaraz invites himself as the red (and yellow) thread of the season.
The 19-year-old Spaniard collected trophies (5 titles in 7 finals), became the youngest player to rise to world No. 1, finished the season at the top of the rankings and participated in a few -one of the most outstanding matches of the season, according to the ATP ranking.
1) US Open (Quarter-final), Alcaraz-Sinner 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3.
Two stars twinkle in the New York sky
Unbreathable.
The New York night saw twin stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner twinkle.
Competing in audacity, strength and heart, the duo seemed inseparable for a long time.
And the Spaniard ended up escaping after saving the match point at 4-5 in the 4th set.
At the end of an unforgettable match, concluded in a mixture of fatigue and emotion at 2:50 am by brilliant duelists, the victory chose its camp after 5:15 am totally crazy.
"
Honestly, I still don't know how I did it.
You have to believe in yourself.
I believed in my game. It was really difficult to finish the match.
I tried to stay calm, but it's hard in the moment
“, Admitted the amazed Spaniard after this match which will be the latest in the history of the US Open (the second longest match in the history of the tournament).
A legendary game.
"
Sinner and Carlos could dominate the tour for the next ten years
," confessed, in shock, Juan Carlos Ferrero, the Spaniard's coach.
2) Australian Open (Final), Nadal-Medvedev 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
Nadal, the player of a thousand lives
A destiny.
Rafael Nadal can, again and again, overturn mountains.
The Spaniard provided a shining example of this in the Australian Open final.
Led 2 sets 0, back to the wall when Medvedev had 3 break points in the 3rd round, the unsinkable Spaniard managed to defeat the Russian after a staggering mental and physical struggle.
Or how to cling to a thread with the strength of despair, how centimeter by centimeter manage to distill the poison of doubt in the mind of his rival to end up overturning the table.
A master class.
One more.
A new legendary fight (5h24).
To crown a new Grand Slam crown (the second in Melbourne, after 2009).
Eternal Nadal…”
I was amazed.
I tried during the match to just play tennis, but after the match I asked him, ''Are you tired?'', because it was crazy.
After six months away from the courts due to a left foot injury, Nadal returned to the front of the stage.
With sparkle.
He who, in Melbourne had lost an XXL final (5h53 against Djokovic in 2012).
3) Australian Open (3rd round), Berrettini-Alcaraz 6-2, 7-6(3), 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (10-5).
Alcaraz the wind is rising
Already feared by the players, followed with attention by the spectators and television viewers, Carlos Alcaraz gives, from the month of January, an overview of his will and his talent.
He grabs Matteo Berrettini by the throat, beats him up, pushes him into the ropes.
Then seeks a second wind, suffers, resists and plays with guts the super tie-break of the 5th set.
Dark gaze in which fear has no place.
The Spaniard ends up bowing.
Disappointment falls on his broad shoulders and clouds his gaze briefly, but he has made an appointment.
Berrettini and the circuit know it.
“
At his age, I had no ATP points and he will only get better.
He showed everyone his potential
”, underlines the Italian, happy to have climbed the obstacle.
4) Roland Garros (Semi-final), Nadal-Zverev 7-6 (10/8), 6-6 (Abandonment).
Zverev the shattered dream.
This is the story of an unfinished match that made an impression.
For 3:13, Rafael Nadal, master of the place, was shaken as rarely.
Under the roof of the Philippe Chatrier court, the length of the ball and the power (especially in reverse) of Alexander Zverev bend the Spaniard.
Zverev leads 4-2 in the first set, then has 4 set points in the tie-break before slightly loosening his grip and finding himself ejected by a ruthless rival.
In the 2nd set, crazy exchanges (one of 44 shots), multiple breaks increase the intensity in a Davis Cup atmosphere.
Zverev serves at 5-3 to win the set.
In vain.
He wastes two more chances, before finding himself on the ground, his right ankle blocked at the end of the race.
His cry freezes the arena.
The party is over.
Brutal.
Bitter.
His exit, on crutches,
moves.
Since that day, between grace and drama, the German has been preparing for his comeback… Rafael Nadal, he is flying towards a 14th title in Paris.
5) Roland Garros (Quarter-final), Cilic-Rublev 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (10-2).
Cilic, for the love of the game.
At Roland-Garros, Marin Cilic plays well.
The Croatian has just ruled out Daniil Medvedev with authority when he faces Andrey Rublev for a place in the semi-finals.
30 aces, constant risk-taking, he offers himself a second youth, hits and runs, resists the arrows and the regularity of his rival.
And lands at the foot of the super tie-break with envy.
Led 2-1, he scored the next 9 points with mastery.
"
I played this kind of tennis the whole match, and especially the fifth set was an incredible battle... It was my day, but Andrey also played an incredible match
," he savored.
Casper Ruud will come to stop his beautiful Parisian adventure.
The ATP also ranked the matches of the year (excluding Grand Slam):
1) Madrid (Semi-final), Alcaraz-Djokovic 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5)
2) Madrid (3rd round), Nadal-Goffin 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(9)
3) Hamburg (Final), Musetti-Alcaraz 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-4
4) Rolex Paris Masters (Semi-final), Djokovic-Tsitsipas a 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4)
5) Miami (Quarter-final), Alcaraz-Kecmanovic 6-7(5), 6-3, 7- 6(5)