Teenager sets incredible 32-year first at US Open

3 years ago 316

The tennis satellite has a caller prima connected its hands, with 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz rewriting the past books astatine the US Open.

After making his expansive slam debut astatine the Australian Open earlier this year, Alcaraz has made astatine slightest the 2nd circular astatine each 4 majors this year.

He's the 5th youngest subordinate to execute that feat, and the archetypal since Goran Ivanisevic successful 1989.

He's successful awesome company, with Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker, Ivanisevic and Australia's John Alexander the 4 players to triumph a lucifer astatine each 4 slams astatine a younger property than Alcaraz.

"The connection astir the locker country and the playing radical is that this kid is the closest happening to Rafa since Nadal came along," tennis large Todd Woodbridge told Wide World of Sports.

"You get 1 of these players each 15 years. We had Michael Change successful my era, oregon Lleyton Hewitt a spot later.

"This epoch has been cruel, due to the fact that they younger players haven't been capable to interruption done against the Big Three.

"But this young feline has the accidental to beryllium the adjacent ascendant player, that's what the susurration is astir the tennis community."

Alcaraz backed up his archetypal circular triumph implicit 26th effect Cameron Norrie with a triumph implicit Arthur Rinderknech successful the 2nd round, mounting up a 3rd circular lucifer against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

By making the 3rd round, Alcaraz has go the youngest subordinate since Novak Djokovic successful 2005 to marque the past 32 astatine aggregate expansive slams.

Coached by erstwhile satellite No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, the teen won his archetypal ATP tourney successful July successful Croatia, and is already ranked 55 successful the world. There is no-one younger than Alcaraz successful the apical 400 successful the world.

"What he's achieved is fantastic, but helium hasn't yet beaten a large weapon connected a large stage. He hasn't beaten a top-10 subordinate astatine a slam," Woodbridge said.

"Don't beryllium amazed if helium causes a large upset, due to the fact that he's conscionable astir owed to marque that breakthrough astatine expansive slam level, fixed what he's already achieved.

"When you look astatine him, his assemblage is precise mature for an 18-year-old. He's got carnal spot which is allowing him to play astatine this level, and technically helium looks precise dependable arsenic well."

Alcaraz deed 40 winners successful his 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 triumph implicit Rinderknech, securing the triumph successful conscionable nether 3 hours successful a rain-interupted match. The 18-year-old was capable to prevention 3 acceptable points astatine 3-6 successful the opening acceptable tie-breaker.

"It was a large lucifer and show from me," Alcaraz said. "I consciousness I played truly good throughout. Every subordinate is tough. Reaching the 3rd circular is large for maine and I americium truly happy."

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