Carlos Alcaraz
PROS: “This kid is going to be great. It’s just a matter of when,” said Tennis Channel analyst Paul Annacone when 1■-year-old Alcaraz upset Berrettini 6-1, 6-7, 7-6 at the Vienna Open. Former world No. 1 Jim Courier, who agrees with Annacone, said, “I bet a teenager will win a major in the next ten years. And it could be Alcaraz. He’s on a rocket ride to the top.”
But why does the 6'1" Spaniard, who skyrocketed to No. 32 this season and became the youngest man to reach the US Open quarterfinals in the Open Era, possess such lofty potential? “In big moments, his goal is to rip it and come in [to net],” said Annacone. “That’s a great attribute.”
After Alcaraz upset No. 3 Tsitsipas 7-6 in the fifth set at the US Open, the thoroughly impressed Greek said, “I’ve never seen someone hit the ball so hard.” Indeed, Alcaraz’s rocket forehand peaked for a clutch 16■ kmph (104.4 mph) winner during the deciding set tiebreaker against Berrettini. Equally impressive, the robust teenager blasted 220 km (136.7 mph) and 21■ km (135.5 mph) first serves at the recent Next Gen ATP Finals.
You’re right if this kid reminds you of the teenaged Rafael Nadal, his boyhood idol. Except for Rafa’s lefthandedness, they’re both blazing fast, solid in every stroke department, dazzling shot-makers who are fun to watch, superb high-energy athletes, and above all, ferocious competitors.
The final similarity is their rugged, muscular physiques. Listed as 159 pounds in the 2021 ATP Media Guide, Alcaraz looks 20 pounds heavier than a year ago. Juanjo Moreno, his physio and rehab specialist, explained “The Foundations & Secrets Behind Alcaraz’s Success,” in an Atptour.com interview.
“When he started at the [Equelite de Villena] Academy [in Alicante, Spain], both the fitness coach [Alberto Lledo] and I thought we needed a change in the muscle structures,” Moreno said. “We needed to work on his musculoskeletal system to give him more speed, more power in his shots and his movement on court. And we based all that on morphology training. By doing fitness work to achieve those goals without him gaining much muscle mass, Carlos’ genetics plus speed-based training has given him the morphotype he has now.”
CONS: The only significant weakness is shot selection. Occasionally, Alcaraz’s youthful exuberance induces him to overhit shots, and his inexperience causes him to underhit — particularly on return of serve and with injudicious drop shots. Both tactical mistakes should be easy to remedy under the astute coaching of former No. 1 Carlos Ferrero.
Winning the big points, especially when they feature gruelling rallies, is the trademark of champions. “It is something I am working on,” Alcaraz said after capturing the Next Gen ATP Finals. “Juan Carlos told me that in the tough moments you have to play aggressively and you have to go for it and that is what I do. I am working on that to be calm in the tough moments. That is the key to winning the tough points. You have to go for it.”
This pundit predicts the raging bull from Spain will run roughshod over his elders and become the first male teenager to capture a Grand Slam title since Nadal won the 2005 French Open.
Will King Novak be acclaimed as the indisputable greatest player of all time? Or will young challengers, or perhaps even legends Nadal and Federer, making comebacks, dethrone him? To divine the coming year of exciting uncertainty, Benjamin Disraeli offered a timeless answer: “What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expected generally happens.”