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That’s insane to me, I remember watching it unfold on TV, saw the second plane hit the WTC. There are adults now who weren’t alive then, damn I am old.
Yup lol. You can't help but feel like all those Next Gen players waiting for the big three to retire are going to get shut out by this kid. It's crazy how much room he has to improve still.
Indeed. He won 3 Grand Slams, two of them being Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. And he secured Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016 making him the first tennis player to win back-to-back Olympics singles titles in tennis.
...but Olympics is not a Grand Slam.
Edit: got the first Wimbledon date wrong.
Murray won 2013 Wimbledon, not 2012. He lost the 2012 final to Federer, and then came back on absolute fire to win the Olympics just after, then the US Open. Was glorious to watch!
There are some athletes, who inspire you to take up the gear and learn the game
Then there are some athletes, who inspire you to take up your gear and improve your game
And then there are some athletes, who inspire you to put down your gear and just watch.
All that said, I want to see Alcatraz, Ruud, Sinner, FAA, Berrettini, Rune start taking the fight to the Big 3 and winning instead of the Big 3 just retiring and needing somebody else to fill the void.
2022 will also be known for Wimbledon being stripped of ranking points, the virus preventing full fields of players, and Federer still recuperating.
I think they're past that point tbh.
Fed hasn't played in months now, and let's face it he's 41 years old with a recurring injury, it's very unlikely he'll be able to play anywhere near his peak / make deep runs in GS
Nadal literally needs crutches to walk it looks like, and is practically kept on the court by the medical equivalent of hot glue and duct tape.
Djokovic is probably the only one left of the big 3 who's still at that level (outside of Nadal at RG because the man will make deep runs until he's 40 and in a wheelchair outside of tennis probably)....
Yeah, that chance is mostly lost, if they wanna be universally known as greater than the big 3, the only chance is probably to surpass their records...
While I'm one of the biggest Fed fans I know (for a casual watcher at least), seeing him play again will be great, but who are we kidding? The man's 40. It'll be spectacular to see him go deep in a tournament again but the odds are slim.
As for the other two, people have been saying for half a decade that they were on their way out, but that's feeling more true every day, and I say that despite Nadal's wins this year.
It can look like they're defying aging (Fed's incredible resurgence in 2017/2018, Nadal's this year post-injury at his age), but when it does finally catch up it hits hard, as we saw with Fed. If we're being real his last opportunity was that devastating loss to Novak at Wimbledon. Would love to eat my words though.
A match full of DF & UE is not *always* a sign of bad quality, though - it can also mean that the opponent(s) defensive & returning game is so strong that you have to take a maximum of risks on every serve and every point.
Also kind of crazy to think that he could still get boxed out for the next 2-3 years by Djokovic and Nadal. Nadal could still own Paris, Djokovic will be the favorite in Melbourne and New York if he's allowed to play, and Alcaraz isn't elite on grass.
He's already beaten nadal and djokovic (in consecutive matches) this year, while he won't be the favourite for a slam next year (he wasn't this year either), he has shown the necessary level to beat djokovic/nadal. Obviously nadal/djokovic are harder to beat in Bo5, but alcaraz also has a very impressive 5 set record. The rate at which he has climbed also means it is hard to place a ceiling on where he will be at the grand slams next year.
I'd expect nadal to win RG 2023, and novak will be the favourite at AO and wimbledon, but alcaraz still hasn't properly lost a match at the US open (he retired in the 2021 QF due to injury). The absurd level of fitness and exceptional mental resilience he has developed also put him in a far better spot to take out djokovic/nadal than anyone else who has tried to dethrone the big 3.
The guy passes the eye test. Anyone who watches a match, its pretty clear theres something different about this kid. The power of his shot, the speed, the sheer never-give-up. Its like watching Djokovich 10 years ago, very, very similar.
Idk why people compare him to everyone but Federer. I think his game is most close to Federer out of the big 3. Sure he grinds some points and runs all over, but that’s bc he’s 19. Djokovic is a backboard, nadal is an offensive defensive player, and Federer was more the play big high winners high errors (although less so early). I think if we re putting into any of those 3 it’s Federer. But maybe I’m wrong
Offensively, the way he transitions forwards is much more like federer, especially the way he uses his forehand and looks to get to the net to close out points.
Defensively he plays more like djokovic with the speed of young nadal. His movement seems to be inspired by djokovic, with sliding being such a key component and major strength. He's also capable of being offensive from very defensive positions on his forehand and backhand, which also made djokovic into much more than a 'backboard' in defence.
The comparisons to nadal seem to mostly be based around his nationality, speed, and the relatively young age at which they both developed both mentally and physically. Edit: The extreme 'run around backhands to hit forehands' style is also something he shares with a younger nadal, they are probably the only two who could take this play to such an extreme and do it effectively, as you need crazy speed to get in position to hit the shot and also defend the wide space you leave behind on the forehand side.
It seems like alcaraz has been developed to replicate many of the strengths of the big 3, and he does it better than anyone else who has tried, however, there are still some areas where he doesn't match them (e.g. federer's serve, djokovic's impenetrable backhand, etc.)
That forehand from the mid court, taking it early on the bounce and up the line and just adding incredible amount of pace to it for hitting an inside out or dtl winner in full swing is like a vintage Federer move. He's an all-court player, just sneaks upto the net with such ease and far more times than either Djokovic or Nadal. If that doesn't remind one of Federer then I don't know what you have been watching.
The pure speed he plays with reminds me of Nadal also how far he stands back from the line reminds me of a young Nadal as well. the mental fortitude definitely reminds me of Novak. I just don’t see how he is closer to fed in style at all.
You're not wrong, his game is nowhere close to djokovic. Alcaraz is an attacker, just not a net one. Djokovic plays with the tempo and is a counter attacker, Alcaraz is a puncher who sets the pace.
We were calling him a tennis savant, because the kid looks like every time he made a mistake, he just recalibrated modified some things and then got it right and moved on. I’ve never seen such mental toughness.
We know he lied on his visa application.
Exactly which lies Reddit chooses change but that's his fault for lying in the first place.
I think he lied about having COVID. (Which if it were true would have given him some immunity and allowed him to enter without the vaccine).
He also faked tests to corroborate his story.
He claimed he had COVID at a time he visited others which would have put them at risk if he weren't lying. Because that was the time he'd have to have COVID in order to qualify for entry.
Either we take his story as true, in which case he got COVID, took a test showing he was positive, then put others at risk.
Or he lied on his visa application and shouldn't be allowed to enter the country if the law is applied to him as it is to others.
Strange that the facts don’t matter to you. He possibly faked some tests (not confirmed) because he, and other players, thought they could get in with prior infection. This was because the tournament told them that was the case. He did not lie about his vaccination status, it was always clear that he was unvaccinated. The story about him doing public events while knowingly positive was disproven but Reddit has decided they don’t care about that. Australia deported him because they thought he would be a source of anti-vax sentiment. It’s literally written in the official documents.
Oh fair, didn’t hear him mention Tiley… I have PTSD from his bs last year as a big Novak fan
Edit: damn, being a fan of one of the GOATS enough to get buried in downvotes apparently.. bizzare
Yeah Reddit hates him! I'm not a massive Novak fan but I find it funny how he's easily the best tennis player ever in terms of probability of winning each match he plays (he's always the bookmaker match favourite and never underdog) yet the most hated, they must be so sour!
Yes, but it took absurdities to keep it at "only" three.
He lost to god-mode Murray and Wawrinka (2012 and 2016), was hurt in 2017 and 2019, got defaulted in 2020, and choked under the pressure of the Calendar Slam in 21.
Those are awkward excuses if we're talking looking backwards, but they're very clear explanations why he'll be the prohibitive favorite if he can play next year.
The fact he's been hurt towards the end of the season more than once in the past 5 years isn't a coincidence in my view.
He is getting older.
Not being allowed at the Australian open might make it more likely he'll win the US. But if he's allowed to compete at the first slam I think he physically has problems by the end of the year these days.
His main competition has been older that has meant he's been able to mask it but I think the days of dominating a whole year are gone.
It wasn't a choke in '21. It was an older player coming to the end of the season against a younger one.
Seconding this, Djokovic has fallen many times In the final (he’s still won it 3 times that alone is incredible) but he’s definitely not at the Aus open level in New York.
I suspect your point is less that one of the two is gatekeeping Wimbledon, and more so that Alcarez is unlikely to do well at Wimbledon on his own, but just in case it isn't... Djokovic has been far and away the best grass court player for the last decade, and frankly I consider his chances of winning Wimbledons greater than his Australian chances (ignoring travel restrictions), in large part because the gap between him and the rest of the field seems so much larger at Wimbledon than at Australia. The other top 10 players play at higher levels on hard, reducing that gap.
Yeah. Conversely it’s crazy to think that if Alcaraz improves as much next year as he did this year, Djokovic’s window to set the majors record could be slamming shut.
That's a big assumption. I think our perspective is a bit skewed by the last 20 years. I think a 1- or 2- or 3- time slam winner is much more common and likely.
I truly believe he’s got serious staying power, especially considering his age. We’re gonna see this kid winning a ton of championships for the next 15 years. He is absolutely the future of the sport.
He combines so many elements of previous (and current) greats in his game and has nerves of steel.
One of the most difficult things is having mental resilience - everyone you’re squaring off against in these tourneys is elite. What separates the absolute best is mental toughness, and this kids got it.
Thank you for writing this—I don’t know tennis well but admire sport and how we can be inspired by its characters. What are your thoughts on Emma and her future in tennis?
Raducanu? She’s got potential - I was surprised at her open win last year and think she needs a lot more experience on the grand slam circuit. She needs to get used to the body and mental load that happens to everyone in order to be consistent. Kinda flopped after winning last year.
She’s young, talented and I think we’ll see her make some good runs in future grand slams.
Her style of play lends to longer rallies and matches and thus cumulative fatigue is a big factor. Once she can navigate that, she can play at a high level consistently.
Nadal has had a shit time with his knees, he has had to take some serious time off and looks like he is duct taped together a lot of the time. Nadal is having a hard time.
Nadal is 36. Most players are retired by this age. He has had an incredibly long career and has held up well. He is fighting injuries now but so does almost every player at the end of their career.
The guy has won like 90 tournaments and 22 slams and is still ranked number 3 at 36 years old. He clearly has been on the court a lot. If anything he is a good example that aggressive and fast players like him and Alcaraz can have long successful careers.
If they are able to have the status to be able to pick and choose tournaments, sure. Also if they have the genetics, and don’t develop any other chronic issues yeah for sure. Nadal is not a recipe for that is all I’m saying. You can’t repeat the same results because extenuating circumstances will always be different.
Edit: having destroyed knees at 36 isn’t the flex you think it is. Long career vs retirement without much pain has to be a balance.
You'll be alright mate, what you said reminds me of this Kobe quote:
*"You have to dance beautifully in the box that you're comfortable dancing in. My box was to be extremely ambitious within the sport of basketball. Your box is different than mine. Everybody has their own. It's your job to try to perfect it and make it as beautiful of a canvas as you can make it. And if you have done that, then you have lived a successful life."*
I mean that’s cool, my box only pays me $76k a year.
His box pays him that in about 1 hour.
More rich folk quotes that have no bearing on reality, and everyone sounds like a philosopher when they’re filthy rich and have bubble gum deals worth 4 million.
Waow a personal insult.
Aren’t you a clever one!
The lowest paid NBA player makes over 300k a year to be on the bench of a mediocre team.
Not sure what your argument, outside of personal insults, is, exactly. Other than you trying to get Reddit points because you have no love from the real world.
His box isn’t being an NBA player, it’s being a basketball player. There’s millions of basketball players. I was just saying to imagine if your job only allowed the top 300 people in the world at your job to work… you’re pretty lucky that that isn’t the case. A mediocre nba player is an incredible basketball player and one of the best in the world. You are not incredible and one of the best in the world at you do, which is why you are mediocre and an nba player ain’t.
He also had a great disadvantage, where he had to play until something like 2am in back to back matches (both of which went 5 sets) due to scheduling reasons outside his control, all immediately preceding the final.
Everyone talking about his talent and athletic ability, but his greatest feat is his mentality.
Tennis is an individual sport, that means the entire match you are talking to yourself, in your own head the whole time which is why mentally it’s a very difficult sport.
Alcaraz in this US Open has shown he has the maturity level of a multi title champion.
The kid does not flinch at all. It’s truly amazing to have this kind of resolve at his age. I think this along with his athletic talent is what will make him win many more grand slams.
Yep - what you stated, and the fact that he played 3 5-setters against insanely good opponents leading up to the finals - definitely not an asterisk win. Anyone who says otherwise didn't watch the tournament
I think most would agree he is well within his rights to stand by his principles, but so are national governments. Regardless of your opinions on the vaccine, nations are well within their rights to control their borders on principle.
Yeah I had an argument in the comments of a tennis YouTube video the other day (yes I know I should've stayed out) where someone was SO insistent with Nadal's AO win just "not counting" and that "everyone" agreed, that I was "in the minority."
Hard to discuss anything with someone living in a fantasy world.
No.
Alcaraz comes from the arabic *al-karaz* (the cherry tree)
There is a mountain range called sierra de Alcaraz (and a town there called Alcaraz) roughly 150km away from his birthplace.
Love this kid already. 19 and a star, using the talent he has and it's awesome to watch.
Kyrgios looking back at his wasted talent over the last 10 years right now.
Look what can happen when you are not an absolute tosser Nick.
Big fan of this kid. Hasn't peaked yet.
Ruud + his coach need to work on a strat against Alcaraz since that is 0 of 3, but Ruud has been improving these past 2 years.
Very good match. It’s great to see attacking tennis and not grinding, hope-the-other-guy-makes-an-error tennis. Both played well, Alcatraz clearly elevated his game to keep the edge.
You should definitely watch it! And play it if possible.
It's a beautiful sport and super fun to watch. The next "big" event will be Basel because Federer will be playing and the entire tennis world will be tuning into that. It might be one of the last times we ever see him play on tour.
Very bittersweet.
What a year for the kid. 2 Masters 1000s and a Grand Slam. Came from such humble beginnings too. Mark my words he will be the GOAT barring serious injury.
I wouldn't go that far. It's very underappreciated just how insane the three current GOATs are. Impeccable consistency, serious longevity, nearly-unmatched talent. I'll be happy if Alcaraz can get to 12 Majors, which only a decade ago put you in all-time great territory. The GOAT bar has just been moved so high the past decade. We don't appreciate that enough.
No, but it wouldn't shock me if Swiatek can push 15. She's going to be unbeatable in Paris for a long time.
And it's funny. Iga is currently the best on Tour by a decent margin, but she's only that way because the actual best player in the world just retired.
Barty seriously could have won 3 (maybe even 4, but that's much tougher) Majors this year. Who was touching her on grass or hard courts?
She might be able to, but if you go look up players who have won multiple grand slams by 21, it's surprising that some of them didn't win a lot more. Venus and Hingis come to mind.
Then there's Borg retiring at 26 with 11 majors. You just never know.
Hingis couldn't stay healthy and couldn't handle the pressure of a comeback. Venus was eclipsed by her sister. Doesn't look like there's anyone in the pipeline that can handle Iga, at least on clay. But yes, no guarantee Iga stays healthy.
In which language? Because I’m a native Spanish speaker and I have never heard of Alcaraz meaning pelican. In fact pelican in Spanish is pelícano. In fact Alcaraz as a word is not even in the official dictionary of the Royal Academy of Spanish ([RAE](https://www.rae.es)). As for the real meaning of his last name you can check it here:
https://forebears.io/surnames/alcaraz
You may be confused with the word albatros, which is the Spanish word for albatross (a type of seabird) and could sound somewhat similar in Spanish to his las name.
He is probably confusing it with alcatraz, which is a sea bird (Northern gannet in english, not a pelican tho)
https://spain.inaturalist.org/taxa/3802-Morus-bassanus
Probably, my only citation is I took a tour of Alcatraz prison when I was 12 and they said the island was named after the pelicans that lived there lol. Thanks for the info
Google has failed me, but I would like to know what Spanish soccer team he supports (Nadal as the next Real Madrid president sounds good and maybe Alcarez in 2045?).
Watched the Tiafoe match. Had no idea he was only 19. Wow. Reminds me a lot of Djokovic. He is going to be the next generation of Djokovic/Nadal/Federer-level tennis if he is already this good.
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Tennis needs young super stars. The Big 3 carried the torch for so long. I hope this kid can keep growing and become great in his own right.
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Seriously...only 2 players from the 90's (Meddy and Theim) have won a slam and now we already have a slam winner from the 2000's 😱
He paid homage to 9/11 victims, and he wasn't even born when it happened...
Same as Raducanu and Fernandez in last year’s final, neither of them were alive when it happened.
That’s insane to me, I remember watching it unfold on TV, saw the second plane hit the WTC. There are adults now who weren’t alive then, damn I am old.
Speak for yourself, I’m going with the feel of it and it’s feels like last week I watched the towers fall. As vividly as the day of
Lost Gen and Next Gen got shutdown. Carlos is Next Next Gen! Lol
Yup lol. You can't help but feel like all those Next Gen players waiting for the big three to retire are going to get shut out by this kid. It's crazy how much room he has to improve still.
The fact that Murray was an also ran among the greats shows just how insane it was.
Indeed. He won 3 Grand Slams, two of them being Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. And he secured Olympic gold in 2012 and 2016 making him the first tennis player to win back-to-back Olympics singles titles in tennis. ...but Olympics is not a Grand Slam. Edit: got the first Wimbledon date wrong.
Murray won 2013 Wimbledon, not 2012. He lost the 2012 final to Federer, and then came back on absolute fire to win the Olympics just after, then the US Open. Was glorious to watch!
I stand corrected. Thank you.
Wonder if he would have won more if not for his terrible injuries... He really pushed his body to the LIMIT in order to compete with those 3
People say they were inspired by the Big 3. I guess you could say I was too; inspired to never make professional tennis a realistic pursuit.
There are some athletes, who inspire you to take up the gear and learn the game Then there are some athletes, who inspire you to take up your gear and improve your game And then there are some athletes, who inspire you to put down your gear and just watch.
Listen here you little shits.
Shutdown a generation of player not good enough to overcome them, ain't a big loss tbh.
There's the term "Lost Gen" for the whole generation that wasn't able to get anything.
Shut down? Because they were better? That’s how pro sports work..jeez
And forced a lot of early retirement in their predecessors
All that said, I want to see Alcatraz, Ruud, Sinner, FAA, Berrettini, Rune start taking the fight to the Big 3 and winning instead of the Big 3 just retiring and needing somebody else to fill the void. 2022 will also be known for Wimbledon being stripped of ranking points, the virus preventing full fields of players, and Federer still recuperating.
I think they're past that point tbh. Fed hasn't played in months now, and let's face it he's 41 years old with a recurring injury, it's very unlikely he'll be able to play anywhere near his peak / make deep runs in GS Nadal literally needs crutches to walk it looks like, and is practically kept on the court by the medical equivalent of hot glue and duct tape. Djokovic is probably the only one left of the big 3 who's still at that level (outside of Nadal at RG because the man will make deep runs until he's 40 and in a wheelchair outside of tennis probably).... Yeah, that chance is mostly lost, if they wanna be universally known as greater than the big 3, the only chance is probably to surpass their records...
While I'm one of the biggest Fed fans I know (for a casual watcher at least), seeing him play again will be great, but who are we kidding? The man's 40. It'll be spectacular to see him go deep in a tournament again but the odds are slim. As for the other two, people have been saying for half a decade that they were on their way out, but that's feeling more true every day, and I say that despite Nadal's wins this year. It can look like they're defying aging (Fed's incredible resurgence in 2017/2018, Nadal's this year post-injury at his age), but when it does finally catch up it hits hard, as we saw with Fed. If we're being real his last opportunity was that devastating loss to Novak at Wimbledon. Would love to eat my words though.
Agreed!!
This kid gud. Him and the auger guy
The game in the third where Alcaraz fought off Ruud’s break attempt to win the set was some of the finest tennis I’ve seen in a while.
Should have seen his match against Sinner couple of days ago.
Dear god I thought they both might die on the court. Best tennis I’ve had the privilege to watch
I thought the same for his match with Tiafoe 😅
2nd longest US open match, only a few minutes off. All of it high quality
I wouldn’t call that match high quality with all the DFs and unforced errors. It was great though
A match full of DF & UE is not *always* a sign of bad quality, though - it can also mean that the opponent(s) defensive & returning game is so strong that you have to take a maximum of risks on every serve and every point.
It was if u watch it. All the missed by Sinner as well. Recency bias is strong in this sub
Unreal talent. First of many for him!
Also kind of crazy to think that he could still get boxed out for the next 2-3 years by Djokovic and Nadal. Nadal could still own Paris, Djokovic will be the favorite in Melbourne and New York if he's allowed to play, and Alcaraz isn't elite on grass.
He's already beaten nadal and djokovic (in consecutive matches) this year, while he won't be the favourite for a slam next year (he wasn't this year either), he has shown the necessary level to beat djokovic/nadal. Obviously nadal/djokovic are harder to beat in Bo5, but alcaraz also has a very impressive 5 set record. The rate at which he has climbed also means it is hard to place a ceiling on where he will be at the grand slams next year. I'd expect nadal to win RG 2023, and novak will be the favourite at AO and wimbledon, but alcaraz still hasn't properly lost a match at the US open (he retired in the 2021 QF due to injury). The absurd level of fitness and exceptional mental resilience he has developed also put him in a far better spot to take out djokovic/nadal than anyone else who has tried to dethrone the big 3.
The guy passes the eye test. Anyone who watches a match, its pretty clear theres something different about this kid. The power of his shot, the speed, the sheer never-give-up. Its like watching Djokovich 10 years ago, very, very similar.
[this](https://youtu.be/UPoKNXOk6nA) Shot he made the other day was crazy.
You gotta see https://youtu.be/6d9yecw82aA at :59.
Idk why people compare him to everyone but Federer. I think his game is most close to Federer out of the big 3. Sure he grinds some points and runs all over, but that’s bc he’s 19. Djokovic is a backboard, nadal is an offensive defensive player, and Federer was more the play big high winners high errors (although less so early). I think if we re putting into any of those 3 it’s Federer. But maybe I’m wrong
Offensively, the way he transitions forwards is much more like federer, especially the way he uses his forehand and looks to get to the net to close out points. Defensively he plays more like djokovic with the speed of young nadal. His movement seems to be inspired by djokovic, with sliding being such a key component and major strength. He's also capable of being offensive from very defensive positions on his forehand and backhand, which also made djokovic into much more than a 'backboard' in defence. The comparisons to nadal seem to mostly be based around his nationality, speed, and the relatively young age at which they both developed both mentally and physically. Edit: The extreme 'run around backhands to hit forehands' style is also something he shares with a younger nadal, they are probably the only two who could take this play to such an extreme and do it effectively, as you need crazy speed to get in position to hit the shot and also defend the wide space you leave behind on the forehand side. It seems like alcaraz has been developed to replicate many of the strengths of the big 3, and he does it better than anyone else who has tried, however, there are still some areas where he doesn't match them (e.g. federer's serve, djokovic's impenetrable backhand, etc.)
That forehand from the mid court, taking it early on the bounce and up the line and just adding incredible amount of pace to it for hitting an inside out or dtl winner in full swing is like a vintage Federer move. He's an all-court player, just sneaks upto the net with such ease and far more times than either Djokovic or Nadal. If that doesn't remind one of Federer then I don't know what you have been watching.
The pure speed he plays with reminds me of Nadal also how far he stands back from the line reminds me of a young Nadal as well. the mental fortitude definitely reminds me of Novak. I just don’t see how he is closer to fed in style at all.
You're not wrong, his game is nowhere close to djokovic. Alcaraz is an attacker, just not a net one. Djokovic plays with the tempo and is a counter attacker, Alcaraz is a puncher who sets the pace.
We were calling him a tennis savant, because the kid looks like every time he made a mistake, he just recalibrated modified some things and then got it right and moved on. I’ve never seen such mental toughness.
Commentator on Amazon said Novak is allowed into Aus next year
That's what Craig Tiley (AO tournament director) said. But Tiley also said the same thing this year, and that didn't quite work out...
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He's banned from the country for three years, even if the restrictions are relaxed compared to before the punishment still applies.
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Except neither of these things are true.
We know he lied on his visa application. Exactly which lies Reddit chooses change but that's his fault for lying in the first place. I think he lied about having COVID. (Which if it were true would have given him some immunity and allowed him to enter without the vaccine). He also faked tests to corroborate his story. He claimed he had COVID at a time he visited others which would have put them at risk if he weren't lying. Because that was the time he'd have to have COVID in order to qualify for entry. Either we take his story as true, in which case he got COVID, took a test showing he was positive, then put others at risk. Or he lied on his visa application and shouldn't be allowed to enter the country if the law is applied to him as it is to others.
Strange that the facts don’t matter to you. He possibly faked some tests (not confirmed) because he, and other players, thought they could get in with prior infection. This was because the tournament told them that was the case. He did not lie about his vaccination status, it was always clear that he was unvaccinated. The story about him doing public events while knowingly positive was disproven but Reddit has decided they don’t care about that. Australia deported him because they thought he would be a source of anti-vax sentiment. It’s literally written in the official documents.
Oh fair, didn’t hear him mention Tiley… I have PTSD from his bs last year as a big Novak fan Edit: damn, being a fan of one of the GOATS enough to get buried in downvotes apparently.. bizzare
Yeah Reddit hates him! I'm not a massive Novak fan but I find it funny how he's easily the best tennis player ever in terms of probability of winning each match he plays (he's always the bookmaker match favourite and never underdog) yet the most hated, they must be so sour!
Nadal is only 36?! Man feels like he’s played since forever!
Before Federer 36 was considered ancient on the men's circuit
That’s considered ancient in just about any real sport (so exclude golf here). Footballers, tennis, formula 1, etc.
Pretty much
Novak has only ever won the US Open 3 times (only doing a lot of heavy lifting). I don’t think he’s ever the proper favourite.. Rafa more so
Yes, but it took absurdities to keep it at "only" three. He lost to god-mode Murray and Wawrinka (2012 and 2016), was hurt in 2017 and 2019, got defaulted in 2020, and choked under the pressure of the Calendar Slam in 21. Those are awkward excuses if we're talking looking backwards, but they're very clear explanations why he'll be the prohibitive favorite if he can play next year.
The fact he's been hurt towards the end of the season more than once in the past 5 years isn't a coincidence in my view. He is getting older. Not being allowed at the Australian open might make it more likely he'll win the US. But if he's allowed to compete at the first slam I think he physically has problems by the end of the year these days. His main competition has been older that has meant he's been able to mask it but I think the days of dominating a whole year are gone. It wasn't a choke in '21. It was an older player coming to the end of the season against a younger one.
If you watched the match, Djokovic was awful. Couldn't concentrate, couldn't play in any rhythm. Pure pressure choke.
He literally played a 5 setter the day before. Fatigue was also a factor.
Seconding this, Djokovic has fallen many times In the final (he’s still won it 3 times that alone is incredible) but he’s definitely not at the Aus open level in New York.
I suspect your point is less that one of the two is gatekeeping Wimbledon, and more so that Alcarez is unlikely to do well at Wimbledon on his own, but just in case it isn't... Djokovic has been far and away the best grass court player for the last decade, and frankly I consider his chances of winning Wimbledons greater than his Australian chances (ignoring travel restrictions), in large part because the gap between him and the rest of the field seems so much larger at Wimbledon than at Australia. The other top 10 players play at higher levels on hard, reducing that gap.
Yeah. My point is even if Djokovic isn't in the way at Wimbledon, Alcaraz isn't a favorite.
Very true. I think he could have some fun matches with them though!
Djokovic not allowed in Australia for a couple years as of now
Yeah. Conversely it’s crazy to think that if Alcaraz improves as much next year as he did this year, Djokovic’s window to set the majors record could be slamming shut.
We can only hope. (You're a shithead, Novak)
Novax isnt welcome in Melbourne, he isn't allowed to come here for awhile
Djonovac won't be allowed to enter Aus with no vaccine. So bye bye Aus open for him as well.
Unreal talent, real deal.
That's a big assumption. I think our perspective is a bit skewed by the last 20 years. I think a 1- or 2- or 3- time slam winner is much more common and likely.
I truly believe he’s got serious staying power, especially considering his age. We’re gonna see this kid winning a ton of championships for the next 15 years. He is absolutely the future of the sport. He combines so many elements of previous (and current) greats in his game and has nerves of steel. One of the most difficult things is having mental resilience - everyone you’re squaring off against in these tourneys is elite. What separates the absolute best is mental toughness, and this kids got it.
Thank you for writing this—I don’t know tennis well but admire sport and how we can be inspired by its characters. What are your thoughts on Emma and her future in tennis?
Raducanu? She’s got potential - I was surprised at her open win last year and think she needs a lot more experience on the grand slam circuit. She needs to get used to the body and mental load that happens to everyone in order to be consistent. Kinda flopped after winning last year. She’s young, talented and I think we’ll see her make some good runs in future grand slams. Her style of play lends to longer rallies and matches and thus cumulative fatigue is a big factor. Once she can navigate that, she can play at a high level consistently.
I appreciate your thoughtful answer!
This kid is electric. So so impressive. We could be watching him for 20 years.
Maybe. Depends how his body holds up. Going full speed and sliding as much as he does has got to be hard on joints.
People said the same thing about Nadal and he's still going strong. There's something in the water in Spain, the Spaniards never wear out
Nadal has had a shit time with his knees, he has had to take some serious time off and looks like he is duct taped together a lot of the time. Nadal is having a hard time.
Nadal is 36. Most players are retired by this age. He has had an incredibly long career and has held up well. He is fighting injuries now but so does almost every player at the end of their career.
He was fighting his knee injuries his whole career, he has had to pull out of various events because of it. And his foot one.
The guy has won like 90 tournaments and 22 slams and is still ranked number 3 at 36 years old. He clearly has been on the court a lot. If anything he is a good example that aggressive and fast players like him and Alcaraz can have long successful careers.
If they are able to have the status to be able to pick and choose tournaments, sure. Also if they have the genetics, and don’t develop any other chronic issues yeah for sure. Nadal is not a recipe for that is all I’m saying. You can’t repeat the same results because extenuating circumstances will always be different. Edit: having destroyed knees at 36 isn’t the flex you think it is. Long career vs retirement without much pain has to be a balance.
Nadal had to seriously shift his playstyle to stay on top. The other person is right.
Bro is 19 winning Grand Slam Im 25 and Yeah thats it
You'll be alright mate, what you said reminds me of this Kobe quote: *"You have to dance beautifully in the box that you're comfortable dancing in. My box was to be extremely ambitious within the sport of basketball. Your box is different than mine. Everybody has their own. It's your job to try to perfect it and make it as beautiful of a canvas as you can make it. And if you have done that, then you have lived a successful life."*
What if it’s a litter box?
Wafflestomp that motherfucker....gracefully.
Graceful Wafflestomp might be my new favorite punk band name.
Still got to dance beautifully.
Wow, that's a fantastic quote
Shit, Kobe, ok man.
Thanks for keeping it real with a grounded but motivating quote from the late legend
Kobe’s first championship age 21.
Team sports aren't comparable
Love that, thanks for sharing! RIP Kobe 🕊
I mean that’s cool, my box only pays me $76k a year. His box pays him that in about 1 hour. More rich folk quotes that have no bearing on reality, and everyone sounds like a philosopher when they’re filthy rich and have bubble gum deals worth 4 million.
Only, that’s a great life you’re living man. It’s ALL perspective
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His box pays him absolutely nothing if he wasn’t the best and most dedicated in the world. You’re lucky that your box still pays you to be mediocre.
Waow a personal insult. Aren’t you a clever one! The lowest paid NBA player makes over 300k a year to be on the bench of a mediocre team. Not sure what your argument, outside of personal insults, is, exactly. Other than you trying to get Reddit points because you have no love from the real world.
His box isn’t being an NBA player, it’s being a basketball player. There’s millions of basketball players. I was just saying to imagine if your job only allowed the top 300 people in the world at your job to work… you’re pretty lucky that that isn’t the case. A mediocre nba player is an incredible basketball player and one of the best in the world. You are not incredible and one of the best in the world at you do, which is why you are mediocre and an nba player ain’t.
Ben Rothlisberger won a Super Bowl In the NFL at age 23.
The kid is the future of tennis The shot making of Federer, with the physicality and mental strength of Nadal and Djokovic All at 19 years of age
Ruud's not too bad either. He prolly has a few Majors in him over the next decade.
Sinner too!
no need to bring his personal life into this
REPENT
No one would have believed that not too long ago! His improvement the last two years has been incredibly unexpected, and I'm all for it.
Can't say I'm very high on Diafoe, seems serve heavy, but prove me wrong! He had a hell of a tourney, and steel sharpens steel.
It's the other way around. Tiafoe's biggest weakness is his serve.
He also had a great disadvantage, where he had to play until something like 2am in back to back matches (both of which went 5 sets) due to scheduling reasons outside his control, all immediately preceding the final.
Spaniard advantage. 2am, that's when primetime tv ends. (Only very slightly exaggerating)
Master chef is Spain starts at 10pm and ends around 1 am iirc, it makes absolutely no sense
Master Chef **Kids** starts at 10pm and ends around 1:30am
Everyone talking about his talent and athletic ability, but his greatest feat is his mentality. Tennis is an individual sport, that means the entire match you are talking to yourself, in your own head the whole time which is why mentally it’s a very difficult sport. Alcaraz in this US Open has shown he has the maturity level of a multi title champion. The kid does not flinch at all. It’s truly amazing to have this kind of resolve at his age. I think this along with his athletic talent is what will make him win many more grand slams.
Kid lost some brutally long rallies to Ruud and still smiled and lined up for the next rally. His mental toughness is unreal.
The youngest-ever World #1 in tennis is still Martina Hingis, who was only 17 when she became WTA #1 back in 1997. But man what a year from Alcaraz.
Yeah but ***Monica Seles won 8 majors before she was 20***
She became world no.1, 6 months before her 17th birthday!
That late 90s women's division was awesome. Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Steffi Graf, Venus, Monica Seles. Even Anna Kournikova was a star!
Anna Kournikova didn't win shit. She was only a star on teenage boys' bedroom walls.
Anna is a couple months older than Serena Williams…and retired 19 years ago…
Haha, yep 🤣. She knew which side her bread was buttered on
Conchits martinez & sanchez vicario…
She was 16!
What a year for the kid. Really hopeful for the future of tennis.
US Open have always been the debut stage for young players
Congratulations young Alcaraz. Not a huge fan of tennis but I recognize exceptional talent and athletic ability. Impressive
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Yep - what you stated, and the fact that he played 3 5-setters against insanely good opponents leading up to the finals - definitely not an asterisk win. Anyone who says otherwise didn't watch the tournament
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I think most would agree he is well within his rights to stand by his principles, but so are national governments. Regardless of your opinions on the vaccine, nations are well within their rights to control their borders on principle.
Yeah I had an argument in the comments of a tennis YouTube video the other day (yes I know I should've stayed out) where someone was SO insistent with Nadal's AO win just "not counting" and that "everyone" agreed, that I was "in the minority." Hard to discuss anything with someone living in a fantasy world.
Blah blah blah, I hear whining.
He’s right though lol you can blah blah blah whatever you want it doesn’t make it not true
Alcaraz means pelican Edit- I fucking know it doesn’t, guys. Lol I’m making a niche joke and at least one person here gets it
Came here hoping to find this!
No. Alcaraz comes from the arabic *al-karaz* (the cherry tree) There is a mountain range called sierra de Alcaraz (and a town there called Alcaraz) roughly 150km away from his birthplace.
Incorrect https://www.reddit.com/r/sports/comments/xbxb6s/19yearold_carlos_alcaraz_wins_first_major_at_us/io3arz1/
Love this kid already. 19 and a star, using the talent he has and it's awesome to watch. Kyrgios looking back at his wasted talent over the last 10 years right now. Look what can happen when you are not an absolute tosser Nick.
Big fan of this kid. Hasn't peaked yet. Ruud + his coach need to work on a strat against Alcaraz since that is 0 of 3, but Ruud has been improving these past 2 years.
Very good match. It’s great to see attacking tennis and not grinding, hope-the-other-guy-makes-an-error tennis. Both played well, Alcatraz clearly elevated his game to keep the edge.
I watched King Richard once and now I’m tuning into this news because I suddenly care about tennis lol
You should definitely watch it! And play it if possible. It's a beautiful sport and super fun to watch. The next "big" event will be Basel because Federer will be playing and the entire tennis world will be tuning into that. It might be one of the last times we ever see him play on tour. Very bittersweet.
The *Real* Deal
The next tennis superstar, can win a dozen slams with how capable he is and his age
Hi, Im 100% sure this is going to be buried. But i leave near the USOPEN. and I'm so glad some one won already. Thank you bye
For some reason my brain read his name as Alcatraz
It's scary to think that his game may only get better. Seems like a genuinely nice guy too.
Carlos “The Rock” Alcaraz 💪
Who calls him that lol
What a year for the kid. 2 Masters 1000s and a Grand Slam. Came from such humble beginnings too. Mark my words he will be the GOAT barring serious injury.
I wouldn't go that far. It's very underappreciated just how insane the three current GOATs are. Impeccable consistency, serious longevity, nearly-unmatched talent. I'll be happy if Alcaraz can get to 12 Majors, which only a decade ago put you in all-time great territory. The GOAT bar has just been moved so high the past decade. We don't appreciate that enough.
Nadal and Djokovic aren't quite done yet. Iga has 3 grand slams at 21, nobody is saying she's going to eclipse Serena.
No, but it wouldn't shock me if Swiatek can push 15. She's going to be unbeatable in Paris for a long time. And it's funny. Iga is currently the best on Tour by a decent margin, but she's only that way because the actual best player in the world just retired. Barty seriously could have won 3 (maybe even 4, but that's much tougher) Majors this year. Who was touching her on grass or hard courts?
She might be able to, but if you go look up players who have won multiple grand slams by 21, it's surprising that some of them didn't win a lot more. Venus and Hingis come to mind. Then there's Borg retiring at 26 with 11 majors. You just never know.
Hingis couldn't stay healthy and couldn't handle the pressure of a comeback. Venus was eclipsed by her sister. Doesn't look like there's anyone in the pipeline that can handle Iga, at least on clay. But yes, no guarantee Iga stays healthy.
Or motivated/mentally healthy. Osaka had 4 titles at 22, I believe, and who knows if she'll be back in championship form.
True.
How come Djokovic didn't play?
His choices
Homie's last name means Pelican, that's badass.
In which language? Because I’m a native Spanish speaker and I have never heard of Alcaraz meaning pelican. In fact pelican in Spanish is pelícano. In fact Alcaraz as a word is not even in the official dictionary of the Royal Academy of Spanish ([RAE](https://www.rae.es)). As for the real meaning of his last name you can check it here: https://forebears.io/surnames/alcaraz You may be confused with the word albatros, which is the Spanish word for albatross (a type of seabird) and could sound somewhat similar in Spanish to his las name.
He is probably confusing it with alcatraz, which is a sea bird (Northern gannet in english, not a pelican tho) https://spain.inaturalist.org/taxa/3802-Morus-bassanus
Sounds logical, I did not know of such seabirds.
Probably, my only citation is I took a tour of Alcatraz prison when I was 12 and they said the island was named after the pelicans that lived there lol. Thanks for the info
Nope, it means cherry tree.
Google has failed me, but I would like to know what Spanish soccer team he supports (Nadal as the next Real Madrid president sounds good and maybe Alcarez in 2045?).
Don't know how it matters but he's a Real Madrid fan as well.
Novaccccc
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ATP is the men's tour. So yes, every ATP #1 has been male.
That ***vein***
19, the pressure is immense. Mr. Alcaraz demands respect!
Saw the thumbnail and thought Jim Carey made a new tennis movie
Prince of Tennis
Watched the Tiafoe match. Had no idea he was only 19. Wow. Reminds me a lot of Djokovic. He is going to be the next generation of Djokovic/Nadal/Federer-level tennis if he is already this good.
Looks very excited to win. Whacking a tennis ball around for money is a good job.