No fear as Alcaraz eyes childhood ‘dream’ in US Open final
CARLOS Alcaraz insists he is “not afraid” as he targets the US Open title and a slice of history as the youngest men’s world number one today.
The 19-year-old Spaniard tackles Casper Ruud in a winner-takes-all final with both men chasing a maiden Slam crown and the top ranking.
“I’m not afraid of the moment,” said Alcaraz, the youngest finalist at a Slam since compatriot Rafael Nadal won the French Open in 2005.
In a tournament which saw Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer fail to make the start, and four-time winner Nadal falling at the last-16 hurdle, Alcaraz has flourished in his status as champion-in-waiting.
His shot-making and flamboyance have seen him overcome three successive five-setters to make the final.
Against Jannik Sinner, in a fivehour 15-minute quarter-final which ended at 2.50am on Thursday morning, he saved a match point.
He then required four match points to finish off Frances Tiafoe in Friday’s semi-final, which was the fourth-longest match of the tournament.
It was Alcaraz’s 50th win of 2022. Such performances have convinced Alcaraz that the stars have aligned for him to capture his first Slam title.
“I’ve prepared myself mentally and physically to be fighting for the big things on Sunday,” said Alcaraz, the youngest finalist in New York since Pete Sampras in 1990.
“I always dreamed of being number one.”
Alcaraz has a 2-0 winning record over Ruud, who will be playing in his second Slam final after finishing runner-up to Nadal at the French Open in
June. One of those wins came on hard courts at the Miami final in March. It was one of Alcaraz’s four titles in 2022.
In both previous meetings, Alcaraz has won in straight sets.
“I am just going for it and I’ll enjoy the moment,” said Alcaraz, whose coach Juan Carlos Ferrero ascended to the number one spot when he made the 2003 final in New York.
Ruud, meanwhile, won’t be afraid of slugging it out for five sets today.
His four-hour 23-minute third round win over Tommy Paul was the tournament’s third longest.
The 23 year old will become number one if he becomes the first Norwegian man to win a Grand Slam title.
However, with eight of his nine career titles coming on clay, Ruud has been dismissed as a one-surface specialist. His three titles in 2022, in Buenos Aires, Geneva and Gstaad, were all on clay.
Before this year, he had never got past the third round in New York in four visits but making the final in Miami helped convince him that he can be a force on faster courts.
“Reaching that final I think did something with my self-belief but also respect from other players,” said Ruud, the current world number seven.
Ruud’s run to the final has been helped by seeing top seed and defending champion Daniil Medvedev fall in the last-16 and fifth-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas exit in the first round.
Both were in Ruud’s half of draw. |