As French Open begins, buzz builds for Alcaraz
PARIS — For the first time in a year, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are both entered in the same major tournament — and, somehow, most of the buzz heading into the French Open is about Carlos Alcaraz, a teenager without one Grand Slam title to his name.
There are plenty of reasons to keep tabs on Djokovic and Nadal as main draw play begins Sunday. They’re two greats of the game who have played each other more than any other two men in the Open era, including nine times at Roland Garros.
Thanks to Thursday’s draw, they would meet in the quarterfinals this year, if at all, with a possible matchup against Alcaraz awaiting in the semifinals.
Nadal is a 13-time champion in Paris, owner of a record 21 Grand Slam men’s singles trophies overall and only recently returned from a rib injury while also dealing with chronic pain in his left foot that kept him out of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year.
“All of a sudden,” No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev said Friday after watching Nadal practice on site, “his forehand is just 20 miles per hour faster. He moves lighter on his feet. There is something about this court that makes him play 30% better.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, is ranked No. 1, is the reigning champion on France’s red clay, is tied with Roger Federer for second place with 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles — and, notably, was unable to compete in January’s Australian Open (which Nadal won) because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. The French Open and Wimbledon are allowing him to compete.
“Tennis fans and the biggest tournaments in sport always want to have the best players in the world participating,” Djokovic said. “From that point of view, there is significance to that.”
Yet it’s Alcaraz — 28-3 with a tour-leading four titles in 2022, and already ranked No. 6 — who has generated so much fascination.
“He definitely is special,” Djokovic said. “So far, he’s the best player in the world, no question, this year. … He’s a really complete player. Can play equally well, offensively and defensively.”
That’s been building for a while now, reaching a crescendo after Alcaraz beat Nadal, then top-seeded Djokovic, then Zverev to win the Madrid Open in early May. No one ever had eliminated Djokovic and Nadal at the same clay court tournament.
Alcaraz boasts seven consecutive wins against top-10 opponents, a big serve and smooth groundstrokes, a dancer’s footwork and the ability to deliver drop shots via forehands and backhands.
As Djokovic put it: “He’s the talk of the sport.”
Part of it is that Alcaraz is considered the next big thing, someone seen as talented, a hard worker and properly dispositioned enough to ascend to the top of tennis. Part of it is that he is so young, 19 as of May 5; not since fellow Spaniard Nadal in 2005 had someone broken into the top 10 of the ATP rankings so soon.
This question has been lingering for quite some time: Who will lead the way and take the mantle from the Big Three of Nadal (36 next month), Djokovic (35 on Sunday) and Federer (41 in August, coming off a series of operations to his right knee and sidelined since Wimbledon last year)?
“The situation is changing. We are getting old, too,” Nadal said. “New generations are coming strong.”
Well, not all that strong. Djokovic and Nadal have combined to win 11 of the past 13 men’s Grand Slam titles.
Alcaraz has only been as far as one quarterfinal at a major — the U.S. Open last September — has played at Roland Garros only once, reaching the third round last year. He said he tries to turn everyone else’s expectations for him into motivation, rather than a source of tension.
“I really look forward to going to Paris,” Alcaraz said, “fighting for the Grand Slam.”