NEW YORK – Inside hours of Carlos Alcaraz’s arrival on the scene on the US Open on August twenty fifth, and earlier than he even went to court docket for his first spherical match, he grew to become the largest storyline of the day.
Not as a result of he preferred his rivalry with world primary Jannik Sinner or how he preferred to win the title once more. Everybody was speaking about his new haircut.
“I imply, that is positively scary,” stated Francis Tiafoe, the two-time open semi-finalist within the US, after the match with Laughter earlier than including warnings. “He is my man.”
Over the subsequent 48 hours, it felt like all of the gamers on the tour (from Naomiosaka to Alexander Zverev, Emmaradukanu, Sinner himself) have been requested and requested about Alkaraz’s hair. Every remark appeared to have made the web spherical, with Alcaraz responding to all of it together with his signature humor, taking a look at his youthful brother and blaming him.
Now, greater than per week later, Alkaraz’s hair is already starting to develop, and he booked tickets to the semi-finals on Tuesday following a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over twentieth seed Giri Lehecca. And whereas questions on his lower appeared to fade away, the incident stays an interesting reminiscence of how a lot he’s liked. Some gamers are all the time extra common or acquainted to others within the locker room, however at this stage of his profession, few gamers within the Alcaraz caliber are, however normally retain that distinction.
It raises the query: Will Alcaraz, a five-time main champion and at present second on this planet, be extremely feared on the tennis court docket as a result of his fierce athleticism, cruel grit and highly effective forehand?
“It’s extremely tough to do away with that stability,” former Wimbledon semi-finalist and podcaster Sam Question instructed ESPN this week. “A whole lot of superstars cannot pull that aside. You possibly can take pleasure in him when he walks across the participant lounge and he is very cool with everybody.
“He is a worldwide celebrity, however a part of him is a every day man and persons are drawn to it.”
Tennis, the core of it, It is a deep, particular person sport.
On the court docket, there is just one participant. Their coaches and assist groups are sitting close by and will be given steering once in a while, however in the end they are going to descend on the participant to resolve the issue and discover a method to win on their very own.
Away from the competitors, gamers journey from resort rooms to resort rooms to tournaments for more often than not, and journey to tournaments. It may be an remoted expertise, and gamers usually spend most of their time with their respective groups. Over time, many prime gamers discover it too tough to get near their friends.
“It is laborious to have actually good buddies on the tour,” five-time main champion Maria Sharapova stated in 2011. world. “
Although issues have modified lately, US open breakout star Taylor Townsend praised the pandemic for altering the dynamics of locker rooms in an interview with ESPN in 2024, Question claims that males’s locker rooms have all the time been a pleasant place, however Alcaraz seems to be round his friends who most likely aren’t different managers.
A photograph of Alcaraz and the Sinner being distributed collectively at Osteria del Bianco, an Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan initially of the event. Alcaraz later defined that they each have been coincidences there, however what was noteworthy was that it was believed they have been collectively. The identical wouldn’t have been the case with Sharapova. Within the early days of their rivalry, Serena Williams, or Federer and Nadal, would say.
Earlier than retiring in 2022, Question, 37, spent many careers within the Large Three, Nadal, Federer and Novak Djokovic. He stated Federer “could not do ‘higher’ if he approached me, and even when he was teased, it was ‘alright’, however general it wasn’t so naturally uncomfortable with everybody. Nadal was additionally elegant in his friends, however the language barrier allowed it to be difficult. Alcaraz made a deliberate effort to enhance English circulate, permitting him to work together extra seamlessly with bigger gamers and teams across the tour.
“Carlos speaks higher English than Rafa,” Question stated. “So I believe he does that in a harder method with irony, humor and Rafa.
Querrey added on his “Nothing Main” podcast that he co-hosted with retired American gamers John Isner, Steve Johnson and Jack Sock. With out lacking the beat, Alcaraz instantly commented on the social media clips – together with spelling errors – he skipped the industrial and shared the route from Madrid to Cincinnati. When Alcaraz noticed the Question a day or two later, he approached him on a whim, repeating that he needed to truly make a flight connecting in Philadelphia to achieve the Cincinnati Open.
In that event, Townsend, the world primary in doubles, requested title-winning Alcaraz to take a photograph together with his youthful son. He hesitated and did not have interaction within the dialog.
“He was very type,” Townsend recalled in regards to the encounter. “I forgot that he is not No. 1 (and) I used to be like, ‘Carlos is No. 1 too.’ AJ stated, “You are like my mother.” Carlos appeared like “I am a bit shut.” He performed it. ”
In an interview with ATP, Fakund Bagnis, a profession journeyman misplaced in qualifying on the US Open, who known as “even higher folks” than tennis gamers, shared a narrative about asking Alcaraz to assist make a buddy’s birthday video.
“He might need stated no to me, he ignored me, or instructed me what number of days,” Bagnis stated. “However he responded by asking me after I had time.
Even when gamers lose to Alkaraz, they usually sing his praises and share their good needs. Shortly after Alcaraz beat Tiafoe within the US Open semi-finals in 2022, Tiafoe appeared for him within the locker room, as proven in Netflix’s “Breakpoint” docusary.
“We’ll win this,” Tiafoe stated earlier than hugging him.
Alkaraz reminded Tiafoe that he was “shocking” as he started to go away. “Remember.”
Proper after her retirement From the game, two main quarterfinalist and former world thirtieth, American Shelby Rogers, overtly puzzled whether or not her trademark pleasant perspective was actually a courtroom impediment.
“Undoubtedly, ‘Yeah, perhaps I might received extra video games if I hadn’t had a more durable, extra superb woman fame,” Rogers stated.
However that wasn’t an issue for Alcaraz. It isn’t even within the US open, nor anyplace all through his profession. He has received 22 ATP titles and earned his 268th Tour victory on Tuesday.
Alcaraz beats anybody, anytime. Though it does not require the identical degree of focus as the primary draw, Alcaraz was seen chatting enthusiastically with blended doubles draw opponent Jessica Pegura.
His enthusiasm and enjoyable appear to like him to his followers, and even perhaps on the coronary heart of what he was in a position to obtain.
“I believe the enjoyable for Alcaraz is a significant a part of his success,” stated former World No. 4 and present ESPN analyst Mary Joe Fernandez earlier than the event started. “The best way he smiles not solely when he scores factors, however when different opponents play nice factors, he can applaud and benefit from the second as effectively.
“I consider Cincinnati had a giant level in his coach telling him, ‘Smile, have enjoyable.’ It’ll loosen up him.
However even in defeat he stays elegant, which is what his companions are grateful for. After falling to the sinner in 4 units on the Wimbledon Remaining in July, his first defeat within the slam title of the Line – Alcaraz, sitting in a chair with a smile on his face, was praised for the sinner to have a good time together with his crew in his field. After some time, Alcaraz congratulates the sinner in an on-court interview, saying that he’s “actually completely satisfied” for his rivals – and for a “actually good relationship” the 2 left the court docket. He then thanked him for making him a greater participant.
The sinners thanked Alkaraz for being “the participant you might be” and for his or her “superb relationship.”
All through his earlier runs in New York, Alcaraz was dominant and the one man to achieve the quarterfinals with out dropping a set. On Tuesday, he reached the ninth main semi-final of his profession – simply joined Nadal, Boris Becker, Matt Willander and Bjorn Borg to achieve that milestone earlier than his twenty third birthday.
Based on ESPN BET, Alkaraz at present has the second finest odds for sinners. He’ll then play the winner of the Tuesday night time conflict between Djokovic and Taylor Fritz in Friday’s semi-finals. His eyesight definitely secured his sixth main title, and second in New York, Querrey does not suppose Alcaraz’s consequence will change considerably.
He believes that Alkaraz is probably going the identical energetic and playful man that nearly everybody on tour has come to like.
“Extra importantly, he is only a good particular person,” Question stated. “I believe it is simply his DNA, that is who he’s. I believe the unbelievable folks round him, his dad and mom, his brokers, his coach (his coach) Juan Carlos Ferrero additionally encourages this.
“If I am strolling down the hallway with my son and taking a look at him and asking for photos, he is aware of he is 100% doing it after which spending a couple of minutes with him. Everybody is aware of that after he will get a significant of 15 it modifications and the stress is totally different, however I believe he is nonetheless the identical man.
