Andre Agassi reveals what makes Carlos Alcaraz unstoppable after French Open triumph

Take it from eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi; he is aware of what elite-level play appears like in males’s tennis. The final American to win the French Open delivered Sunday’s singles trophy to 22-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz after a heart-stopping, five-set victory over world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Roland Garros.

Alcaraz’s second consecutive Grand Slam on clay and the fifth of his blossoming profession was unbelievable after he overcame a two-set deficit in a serious for the primary time in his profession. Alcaraz fought off triple-championship level within the fourth set and later received the primary seven factors of the 10-point tiebreak within the fifth to resolve the match.

Regardless of being the brand new ‘Prince of Clay’ given his newest heroics, Alcaraz is gearing up for a doubtlessly extra memorable event displaying later this month in one other main, based on Agassi.

“Alcaraz’s finest floor to me, shockingly, can be between right here and Wimbledon … I’d say grass,” Agassi stated on set with Patrick McEnroe on the French Open. “Purpose I’d say grass has nothing to do along with his swings. It has to do with the much less diminishing pace that occurs to him versus different gamers.

“You bought to recollect — this man has defensive pace like Novak (Djokovic), if no more. He has really feel like (Roger) Federer, you possibly can argue at occasions, if no more. He has RPMs and tempo like Rafa (Nadal), you could possibly argue, perhaps much more. He has to string that stuff collectively. When he will get on the market on the grass and you then herald that UFO motion stuff, I imply, his second step is ridiculous and he believes in it a lot he would not peel out defensively whenever you push him into corners.”

Agassi’s first main title got here on grass at Wimbledon in 1992 and that was his final victory on the All England Membership. Alcaraz will probably be gunning for his third consecutive Wimbledon title in a couple of weeks after taking out Djokovic within the last the final two years.

Alcaraz’s stellar play magnified down the stretch

Alcaraz chased down practically each return punch from Sinner in Sunday’s last set with cat-like quickness, utilizing power from the group inside Courtroom Philippe-Chatrier in Paris to assist gasoline his comeback. Contemplating Sinner had received 32 consecutive main units till failing within the third, Alcaraz’s marathon comeback was merely unbelievable.

He is the primary man to avoid wasting match level and later win in a Grand Slam last since Djokovic outlasted Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.

“The match shouldn’t be completed till he wins the final level,” Alcaraz stated after the match. “A variety of occasions individuals got here again from match level down in last of a Grand Slam and even in different matches. I simply needed to be a kind of gamers who saved match level within the Grand Slam last and ended up successful.

“I simply believed on a regular basis. I by no means doubted myself, even in these match factors down. I believed, only one level at a time. Only one level after which after one level, attempt to save that recreation and maintain believing. That is what I believed.”

Alcaraz credited Sinner with taking part in “wonderful” tennis within the last, however in the long run, it was his fifth consecutive victory over the hard-hitting Italian. Alcaraz grew to become the third-fastest participant in males’s tennis to achieve his fifth profession Grand Slam.

“Truthfully, the coincidence of successful my fifth Grand Slam in the identical age as Rafa Nadal, I’ll say that is future, I suppose,” Alcaraz stated. “It’s a stat that I’ll maintain for me endlessly, successful the fifth Grand Slam concurrently Rafa, my idol, my inspiration. It is an enormous honor truthfully. 

“Hopefully, it isn’t going to cease like this.”