Carlos Alcaraz is leading the new generation of tennis alongside young prodigies like Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune, and Casper Ruud. The 20-year-old Spaniard has been on fire this season, clinching titles at the Argentina Open, Indian Wells Masters, Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, Queen’s Club Championships, and the Wimbledon Championship, where he triumphed over Novak Djokovic in five sets.
He will begin his quest for a second consecutive US Open title on August 30th, when he faces off against German Dominik Koepfer, currently ranked 75th in the world.
Alcaraz aims to accomplish US Open feat that eluded Nadal and Federer
Carlos Alcaraz is aspiring to etch his name into the record books at this year’s US Open. If he manages to secure the championship, he will follow in the footsteps of the legendary Roger Federer as the first person to defend his title since the Swiss maestro’s five consecutive wins from 2004 to 2008. This remarkable feat has yet to be achieved again, not even by Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal.
Following a mentally taxing defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz will command the spotlight at Flushing Meadows as the world no.1. He is anticipated to emerge victorious in his first-round match and has drawn a relatively manageable path compared to his rival Novak Djokovic. The Serbian faces challenging potential matchups against Félix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas on the road to the final.
🚨 DRAW IS HERE
A quarterfinal rematch with Jannik Sinner could await Carlos Alcaraz 👀 pic.twitter.com/Hv3B7vYCfd
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2023
Alcaraz made his debut as the world number one last year when he clinched the 2022 US Open against Casper Ruud with a score of 6-4, 2-6, 7-6, 6-3. He dethroned Djokovic from the top ranking and became the second youngest grand slam winner since Rafael Nadal.
His rise to the top has prompted a significant shift in the tennis elite. The long-standing dominance of the ‘Big 3’—Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer— since the early 2000s has been disrupted.
Novak Djokovic heaped praise on the Spaniard’s game, saying: “I haven’t played a player like him ever, to be honest. I think people have been talking in the past 12 months or so about his game consisting of certain elements from Roger, Rafa, and myself. I would agree with that.”
Carlos Alcaraz’s position among youngest US Open champions in history
Carlos Alcaraz’s victory at last year’s US Open secured his status among distinguished individuals who have represented the sport.
At the tender age of 19 years, 4 months, and 6 days, when he defeated Casper Ruud, Alcaraz became the second youngest winner in the history of the championship. The top spot on this list is held by American Pete Sampras, who secured the 1990 US Open title at the age of 19 years, 0 months, and 28 days.
At the current age of 20 years and 115 days, Alcaraz is poised to become the youngest-ever number one seed in the history of the US Open. This breaks a 66-year record held by Australian tennis player Ashley Cooper, who claimed the number one seed at the 1957 US Open when he was 20 years and 349 days old. Only two other players have come close to challenging this record – Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 and Bjorn Borg in 1977, both of whom were 21 at the time.
Carlos Alcaraz faces a comparably easier draw compared to Novak Djokovic. He would potentially meet the second-seeded Serbian only in the final.
Speaking ahead of the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz said:” Obviously I feel that I’m more mature on court. I feel that I’m a better player than I was a year ago. Even I got my first Grand Slam last year, but I feel like I’m more mature and I’m better.”
He also talked about his rivalry with Novak Djokovic, saying, “He never gives up. That is something I try to learn and use in my game.”
Do you think Alcaraz can successfully defend the title with the possibility of a mouth-watering clash with Novak Djokovic on the cards? Will the Spaniard be able to prolong his status as world no.1 amidst Djokovic’s relentless pursuit? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
