Carlos Alcaraz reached the French Open ultimate for the primary time on Friday, a contest very near his coronary heart, and needs so as to add his title to the listing of Spanish gamers who’ve received at Roland Garros.
Alcaraz got here out on prime in opposition to second seed Jannik Sinner, beating the Italian 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, and is happy by the prospect of emulating his heroes.
“Properly, I’ve a particular feeling to this event, as a result of I bear in mind once I completed faculty I’m operating to my house simply to place the TV on and watch the matches right here within the French Open,” Alcaraz instructed reporters.
“In fact, Rafa Nadal dominating this event for, let’s say, 14, 15 years. It’s one thing unbelievable.
“I needed to place my title on that listing of the Spanish gamers who received this event. Not solely Rafa. (Juan Carlos) Ferrero, (Carlos) Moya, (Albert) Costa, a number of Spanish gamers, legends from our sport that received this event.
“I actually need to put my title on that listing, as effectively.”
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Alcaraz additionally desires to be a participant capable of win on any floor, having already tasted success on the grass of Wimbledon and the laborious courts on the US Open.
“Properly, I all the time needed to be the most effective gamers on the planet. If I need to be the most effective gamers on the planet, I’ve to be participant in each floor, like Roger (Federer) did, Novak (Djokovic), Rafa, (Andy) Murray,” he stated.
“The very best gamers on the planet had success in each floor.
“So I think about myself a participant who adapts very effectively his model in each floor. And, effectively, I grew up enjoying on clay however I really feel extra comfy enjoying on laborious court docket, for instance.
“I believe my sport fits very effectively to the clay, to clay season, to the clay court docket, as effectively. So I simply needed to be participant in each floor.”
The Spaniard turned the youngest man to achieve a Grand Slam ultimate on all three surfaces, a truth he was conscious of instantly after his semifinal success, however prefers to concentrate on what’s to come back.
“Yeah, I knew that. I imply, I checked the telephone after the win,” a smiling Alcaraz stated.
“Truthfully, earlier than the ultimate it’s one thing that I actually don’t need to take into consideration, however clearly that signifies that I’m enjoying good tennis on each floor, that’s one thing that I actually needed to do once I began within the tour.”