Mayan Journey | international

Carlos Alcaraz rolled out of bed on Monday as the US Open champion, the world number one at 19, and let’s be honest, weary. “I woke up dead,” the Spaniard commented with a broad smile that had already become a familiar thing during an interview with News agency Which took place after a photo session in Times Square with his first Grand Slam trophy stained with fingerprints.

“Many hard days in a row. Lots of intensity. “A high level,” said Alcaraz, the first man in 30 years to win five-set matches in the fourth round, quarter-finals and semi-finals and still take the title at Flushing Meadows. “I don’t know how I played so many difficult and long matches.”

He was exhausted towards the end of that streak, which included saving a match point during his five hour 15 minute quarter-final win over Yannick Sener. This was followed by a four-hour, 19-minute semi-final win over Francis Tiafoe before a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 victory over Casper Rudd on Sunday.

But he won’t tell anyone.

“You have to show competitors that you are good. But you deal with problems all the time. You have to know that and you have to get through it. You have to be on the top floor of a Manhattan hotel,” said Alcaraz, sitting in a chair on the top floor of a Manhattan hotel, overlooking the city’s skyscrapers. Alright with that.” “After the quarter-final match against Yannick, I woke up the next day and could barely walk. But you have to give everything you have inside. All the hard work you put in every day is for it.”

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That hard work is what transformed a body shape that coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion and US Open runner-up, likens to “spaghetti. Too skinny,” when he teamed up with 15-year-old Alcaraz.

“There was no muscle. Neither in the back nor in the legs,” Ferrero noted. “But obviously we saw something very special,” he added.

So does the rest of the world.

His youth undoubtedly contributes to the fascination of Alcaraz, as the sport is looking for a new face after decades of dominance by Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, all of whom have won at least 20 Grand Slam titles.

The coach grew up admiring Nadal, 36, and Federer, 41, “but,” he noted on Monday, “a little more Rafa, because he’s Spanish.”

In all sports, there is often an obsession with finding an athlete from the past to compare to a rising star. Thus, some will note that Alcaraz’s offensive and all-around match is closer to Federer than Nadal’s match.

But this is not the time for comparisons. At least not now.

Carlos Alcaraz wants to be the best version of Carlos Alcaraz, not someone else’s. This is very logical. “Every player is different. Everyone has their own style. He will resemble some of the other players in the sport. But I never wanted to look like another player, Federer, or Rafa or anyone else,” he said. “I am just what I am. This is my game.”

in the Davis Cup

There is no rest for the new first place in men’s tennis.

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Just hours after celebrating his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz returned to Spain to help the country in the Davis Cup.

“I am very proud to get to first place. Playing the Davis Cup is something special and a unique atmosphere,” he said.

Yesterday, the 19-year-old tennis player stated that he is “very proud to reach first place and contribute my sandbag. I really want to be with the team.” Alcaraz arrived in Valencia a day before the start of Spain’s match against Serbia in the group stage.

Edition: I Ordaz

Amber Cross

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