Rafael Nadal is still injured and fears about his future are growing, but Spain will not recover from tennis fever soon even after his inevitable end. This is clearly shown by the current tournament in Madrid, where the young super talent Carlos Alcaraz is strengthening his status as a first-class star.
It’s completely understandable. Alcaraz had already achieved what generations of players before him had only dreamed of before turning twenty. He became world number one and won his first Grand Slam. The first of many, as predicted by experts and, after all, by a tennis player pumped with self-confidence and energy.
He didn’t sound puffed up when he declared during the week: “My goal? I want to be one of the best players in history. I know it sounds crazy, but you have to have the wildest dreams.”
Why not, he’s already breaking records.
She is the youngest world number one in the open era of tennis. The first teenage US Open champion since 1990. The first teenager to beat Rafael Nadal on clay.
And since March, also the first such young player to own winning trophies from both parts of the highly prestigious American Sunshine Double: last year he won in Miami, this year in Indian Wells. In total, he already has three triumphs in Masters 1000 tournaments. Only one man before him managed something like this before his twentieth birthday: Nadal.
“He can win five, maybe ten Grand Slams. Or twenty-three. Maybe he can break all the records,” Russian Daniil Medvedev recently analyzed the potential of his opponent.
Spain is crazy about Alcaraz, this is clearly demonstrated by the current tournament in Madrid, where the native of Murcia will play another big final on Sunday and strive to defend last year’s title, which he won at the La Caja Magica stadium over Nadal and Djokovic.
The atmosphere around the new superstar was colorfully described by Eurosport reporter Paul Hassall. In Madrid, according to him, it is impossible to escape Alcaraz’s face these days.
“His success and meteoric rise is nothing new, but his form in Spain is starting to resemble the dominance of Nadal. The love for Alcaraz is developing into something as strong and passionate as Beatlemania,” he helped himself with a bold comparison.
“The world has already fully embraced his genius and with each passing tournament he seems to gain wider cultural significance in his country. His mix of humble genius makes him a crowd favourite. With a cheeky smile and genuine warmth, he has created the perfect mix of ingredients needed to create a highly successful brand ,” observed Hassall.
According to his perception, the Spanish celebrate Alcaraz as a rock star. “Getting such a status is not just like that, it means that he had to come up with something really valuable. He very forcefully and quickly leads tennis into a completely new era,” added the reporter.
The famous Swede Björn Borg also raved about the Spanish miracle for Eurosport.
“After this weekend, he’ll be back to world number one and I think he’ll stay there for many years. The way he plays, the way he moves, I love his whole game. He has no weaknesses,” said the 11-time Grand Slam winner, who shares an early bond with Alcaraz shot to the absolute top.
Borg won his first Grand Slam at the age of eighteen, but seven years later he effectively ended his career due to fatigue from the game.
The Spaniard is sure that he is not in danger of something similar. “I’m ambitious. I don’t want to lose even in balls. I live day by day and I love tennis, so I’m not afraid that I’ll get tired of winning. That won’t happen,” said Alcaraz.
In Sunday’s final in Madrid, he will fight for another title against a surprising opponent, lucky loser from the qualification and only 65th player in the world, Jan-Lennard Struff from Germany.
