20-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has backed Carlos Alcaraz to pose a stiff problem to massive names on the French Open, saying the 19-year-old is likely one of the ‘foremost favourites’ to win the Roland Garros crown this yr.
Novak Djokovic, who is understood for his nerves of metal, heaped reward on the Spanish teenager, saying he’s mighty impressed with Alcaraz’s temperament, particularly throughout their Madrid Open semi-final on Saturday.
Alcaraz shocked the World No. 1 in a 3-set marathon males’s singles sem-final. Alcaraz then went on to rout reigning Olympic champion Alexander Zverev in straight units within the last to develop into the youngest since Rafael Nadal in 2005 to win 2 Masters 1000 titles.
Carlos Alcaraz is the perfect participant, in line with numbers, as he has received 4 titles, unbeaten within the finals in 2022. Djokovic stated he has little doubt that Alcaraz is at the moment the perfect within the enterprise.
He positively is particular. Already he is breaking quite a lot of information as a youngster, profitable two Masters occasions this yr, a few (ATP) 500s. So far he is the perfect participant on the earth, no query, this yr,” Djokovic told reporters in Rome.
“The manner he was coping with the stress. I imply, in our match few days in the past, how calm he was all the way in which… was spectacular. He deserved to win the trophy.
“(At) Roland Garros, he’s definitely one of the main favourites, no doubt, even though he has never reached the second week of a Grand Slam. With everything recently that he has achieved, he deserves to be one of the favourites.”
Alcaraz beating compatriot Nadal for the primary in his profession within the quarter-final in Madrid felt just like the passing of the torch and the 21-times Grand Slam champion stated he was completely satisfied Spain has a shiny future in tennis.
“Everybody knows the amount of confidence he has right now, the level that he can reach. (I’m) happy for him, happy because we have an amazing player in our country for a lot of years to come,” Nadal stated.
“It’s always special to win at home. (It must) have been probably a very special week for him.”
Alcaraz stated he’s skipping the Rome Masters to nurse his ankle harm to make sure he’s absolutely match for the French Open which begins on May 22.A
