It has been clear for a long time, though, that Carlos Alcaraz is just different. He is different both in terms of his peerless on-court talents and the supreme mental strength that underpins his success. A month after his body crumbled under the sheer tension of facing Djokovic at the French Open, Alcaraz recovered from a set deficit to perform at a remarkable level across five sets as the No 1 seed toppled Djokovic 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 to win his first Wimbledon title. It was an astonishing match and performance, a victory that required every immeasurable self-belief and sustained shot-making of the highest quality from Alcaraz while playing at a level of intensity that he has never experienced across five sets.
"It's great to win but even if I had lost, I would be really proud of myself with this amazing run, making history in this beautiful tournament, playing a final against a legend of our sport," Alcaraz said. "It's incredible, it's a dream come true, to be able to play in these stages. It's amazing, for a boy of 20 years old, I didn't expect to reach this kind of situation really fast. I am really, really proud of myself."
Alcaraz's career was already clearly on a trajectory that few 20-year-olds have matched, yet the top seed's performance at Wimbledon has somehow outpaced all of the deafening hype. His ability to learn, adapt and improve is startling. Less than four weeks ago, Alcaraz began the grasscourt season just trying to figure out how to play tennis on the surface without being so preoccupied by his balance and movement. He nearly lost at Queen's Club against the No 83 Arthur Rinderknech.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin July 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin July 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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