The teenager arrived in New York under pressure from his quick success but exits as champion and number one in the world.
Because of his quick success, Alcaraz was feeling burdened. Early on in his career, his ascent appeared to be simple: he enjoyed winning significant championships, outperformed top players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and the Spaniard shot up the rankings while beaming. However, he now had to cope with the baggage that came with his success. Expectations and pressure, as well as the bright new target, were on his back.
Alcaraz spoke openly as he sat with the US Open trophy by his side and reflected on the previous few months, despite putting on a brave face and rolling with the punches during those competitions. I somewhat lost the joy, he said. "I could feel the strain. I couldn't smile on the court like I do in every game and competition.
His performance was affected by the pressure he experienced. He lost his first match in Montreal after suffering a number of defeats earlier in the summer to young competitors who were even more eager to defeat him. In a close quarterfinal in Cincinnati, Cameron Norrie outworked him. He travelled to New York with the straightforward intention of regaining his happiness: "I came here just to enjoy, you know? To have fun playing tennis, to grin on the court," he remarked.
Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero thought that playing in the way that would bring forth those emotions would be a simple way to reclaim his sense of freedom and enjoyment. The weeks leading up to the US Open were spent working on Alcaraz's ability to move swiftly into the forecourt, pounce on short balls, and reach the net as much as possible.
Alcaraz's ability to focus on just one aspect of his game and use it to dominate the competition, win his maiden grand slam title, and establish himself as the first teenage man to hold the No. 1 ranking is evidence of his extraordinary, multifaceted talent. He served and volleyed 25 times by himself during his victory over Casper Ruud in the championship match, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3. Alcaraz was able to keep moving forward on crucial occasions by making nerveless volleys to avoid both set points in the crucial third set.
The Spaniard has frequently been compared to current greats like Nadal, Djokovic, and his idol Roger Federer as his career has progressed. On the one hand, it makes sense because he has a few stylistic cues that are reminiscent of the Big Three. He has only ever heard of these legends, which he has naturally studied as he matured.
These comparisons are also uninspired. Alcaraz is a self-made tennis player who travels his own path. His style of play is distinctive in and of itself. As was true of the legends before him, the style he has developed with the combination of his athleticism, high-octane shot-making, his seemingly limitless skill set, and his explosiveness around the court is unlike anything we have ever seen.
Alcaraz has the tools necessary to win numerous grand slam championships and establish himself as the top player for the ensuing decade and beyond. But so many things can occur during a career, including injuries, mental stagnation, and even a formidable new adversary. Tennis' environment can swiftly change.
Any long-term success will depend on his ability to keep improving as a player and avoid getting too comfortable. He has a lot of opportunity to grow even though he is currently such a complete player. The rest of the world would be in trouble, for instance, if he worked on his serve and learned how to consistently hit his targets.
The biggest surprise of Alcaraz's maiden title run has been the tenacity he repeatedly needed. He was behind by a break early in the fifth set of his match against Marin Cilic in the fourth round. He had a match point at 5-4 in the fourth set on Jannik Sinner's serve as they sparred for five hours and fifteen minutes until two in the morning in the quarterfinal. The American repeatedly reeled him back in throughout their semifinal match against Frances Tiafoe. Each time, he bounced back and continued.
Every time he faces a challenging situation on the court, Alcaraz tells himself the three phrases "Cabeza, corazon, cojones," which are Spanish for "head, heart, and balls." Since he was still a young child dreaming of future success, his grandfather, Carlos Alcaraz Lerma, has recited such lines during each tournament. In his career thus far, he has demonstrated each one, and he is only at the beginning.
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