Alcaraz beat defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 within the Madrid Open closing, finishing an emphatic event having already crushed Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in earlier rounds.
It’s the younger Spaniard’s fourth title of the yr — together with victory on the Miami Open in April — and he is set to rise to a career-high No. 6 on this planet rankings.
Having received the clay courtroom event just some weeks away from the second grand slam of the yr — the French Open at Roland Garros — Alcaraz’s title is amongst the favorites to problem for the title.
“I’d say I am one of many favourite gamers to win Roland Garros with the stats and all the things, however I do know it is going to be actually, actually troublesome to win Roland Garros,” Alcaraz informed CNN’s Don Riddell.
“There are a whole lot of nice gamers — Rafa, Djokovic — the most effective gamers on this planet are going to play there. However I feel I am able to do good outcomes at Roland Garros and I am able to win Roland Garros.”
Dwelling favourite
Final yr, Alcaraz was ranked a hundred and twentieth on this planet and misplaced to Nadal within the second spherical of the Madrid Open.
However fast-forward 12 months and he is crushed two of the best gamers tennis has ever seen as he establishes himself as a pressure to be reckoned with.
In beating Nadal, Djokovic and Zverev, Alcaraz turned the primary participant since David Nalbandian in 2007 to defeat three top-four gamers at a single Masters 1000 occasion.
Given his fast rise and seemingly unflappable nature, it appears nerves aren’t a difficulty for Alcaraz. Nonetheless, he says that is not the case.
“I’ve nerves, however I am making an attempt to handle the nerves higher than the opposite one and making an attempt so the opponent would not see that I am nervous,” he explains. “However belief me, I’ve nerves, a whole lot of nerves.”
Backed by a house crowd on Sunday within the closing, Alcaraz was dominating in opposition to Zverev, flying across the courtroom as he belied his age and expertise on an enormous stage.
As somebody who used to observe the event as a child, the Madrid Open held even higher significance for Alcaraz.
And his achievements over the previous couple of months haven’t but settled in for the younger star.
“I imply, all the things got here so quick, two Masters 1000 titles — one on onerous courtroom, considered one of clay courtroom,” he mentioned.
“So if in the beginning of the season, somebody informed me that I will obtain these tournaments — Barcelona as effectively — I did not consider it, I did not consider him. For me, I do not know what to say about an unbelievable month for me.”
And the strain of being the largest title in tennis in the meanwhile is not daunting Alcaraz.
“It is good that everybody’s speaking about you and goes to observe your match. For me, it is fairly good. But it surely provides me a whole lot of energy to play in the most effective stadiums in opposition to the most effective gamers on this planet. So for me, it is fairly cool.”
‘An absolute shame’
Though he was defeated within the closing, world No. 3 Zverev was filled with reward for Alcaraz.
The German known as the Spaniard the “greatest participant on this planet” after showering him in champagne throughout the trophy ceremony.
Nonetheless, Zverev criticized the ATP Tour for its scheduling of late-night matches throughout the Madrid Open, saying that whereas he did not “wish to take something away” from Alacaraz, he would have carried out higher had gamers been given extra time to relaxation.
“I used to be slightly bit late the entire time. My first step was not so fast. In case you are enjoying the most effective gamers on this planet, it’s important to be at your prime. In any other case, you should have no likelihood. At the moment, I had no likelihood.”
He continued: “I feel all of us have stayed up late, all of us possibly partied generally, however if you’re staying up till 4 a.m., the subsequent day you might be useless. I performed the subsequent day. Should you’re doing it once more, the subsequent day till 5 a.m., you should have a troublesome time to be even awake.
“I do not wish to take something away (from Carlos),” Zverev mentioned. “I really feel unhappy for the ultimate that we performed as a result of this might have been an excellent match. This might have been an ideal match.
“It takes away the game of tennis. All people wished to see an ideal battle. All people wished to see some high-level tennis. However I am additionally human. I am not a robotic. I can not. I merely I can’t be on my stage when that is taking place each single night time.”
