“When it’s close, he pulls out great shots.” We’ve seen it many times before: He steps up when he needs to,” Ruud said. “He just played too good on those points. Could have been an outcome-altering moment.īut Alcaraz erased each of those point-from-the-set opportunities for Ruud with the sorts of quick-reflex, soft-hand volleys he repeatedly displayed. He faced a pair of set points while down 6-5 in the third. “It’s not time to be tired,” Alcaraz said. Friday after Alcaraz needed to save a match point and against Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals. Tuesday against Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, a 5-hour, 15-minute thriller that ended at 2:50 a.m. Open champion Marin Cilic in the fourth round, ending at 2:23 a.m. He only briefly showed signs of fatigue from having to get through three consecutive five-setters in the three rounds right before the final no one had gone through that arduous a route on the way to the title in New York in 30 years.Īlcaraz went five sets against 2014 U.S. There were a couple of magical points that drew standing ovations, including one Alcaraz lost with a laser of an on-the-run forehand while ending up face-down on his belly. The Spaniard was serenaded by choruses of “Olé, Olé, Olé! Carlos!” that reverberated off the arena’s closed roof - and Alcaraz often motioned for the spectators to get louder. “Let’s see how his career develops, but it’s going all in the right direction.” That’s what it seems like,” said Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway. “He’s one of these few rare talents that comes up every now and then in sports. 4 on Monday, already has attracted plenty of attention as someone considered the Next Big Thing in a sport dominated for decades by the Big Three of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. “Of course,” he said, “I’m hungry for more.”Īlcaraz, who will move up three ranking spots from No. It’s something I dreamed since I was a kid, since I started playing tennis,” said Alcaraz, whom folks of a certain age might still consider a kid. Using his uncommon combination of moxie and maturity, Alcaraz beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 on Sunday to both earn the trophy at Flushing Meadows and become the youngest man to lead the ATP rankings. Moments later, after the coin toss, Alcaraz turned to sprint to the baseline for the warmup, until being beckoned back to the net by the chair umpire for the customary pre-match photos.Īlcaraz is imbued with boundless enthusiasm and energy, not to mention skill, speed, stamina and sangfroid. NEW YORK (AP) - Walking out for his first Grand Slam final at age 19, Carlos Alcaraz bumped fists with fans leaning over a railing along the path leading to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
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