PARIS:
Carlos Alcaraz said emulating the successes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic looked “impossible” after winning his maiden French Open title on Sunday with victory over Alexander Zverev.
The 21-year-old came from behind to win 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 and claim his third Grand Slam triumph.
Alcaraz’s victory made him the youngest man to win Slam titles on clay, grass and hard courts.
With Roger Federer retiring, Nadal expected to hang up his racket this year and Djokovic having a poor season by his high standards, Alcaraz could be poised to dominate the sport for years to come.
Although he is already making history, he has a long way to go to match Nadal’s record of 14 French Open titles or Djokovic’s men’s best total of 24 Grand Slams.
“Both things are out of the ordinary,” he admitted.
“You have to be an alien to get it. What Rafa did with 14 is practically impossible.
“The 24 Grand Slams I hope to achieve, but it is almost impossible. Both things are out of the ordinary…
“Before you face this final, (coach Juan Carlos Ferrero) told me, you’re going to fight for your third Grand Slam title, with everything you’ve been through and you know the hard part of winning a Grand Slam and Djokovic has 24.
“So it’s unbelievable. Right now I can’t think about it.”
Alcaraz will then turn his attention to the grass court season and defending his Wimbledon title.
But he already has one eye on returning to Roland Garros next month for the Paris Olympics, where he is expected to play alongside 38-year-old Nadal in the doubles.
“When I’m back here at the Olympics I’ll have flashbacks. It might be really cool, my first Games 40 days after winning my first Roland Garros,” he added.
“I really want it. To fight to give my country a medal, to be able to play doubles with my idol Rafa Nadal. Let’s fight. Coming back here will be a special feeling.”
He is the eighth Spaniard to win the Coupe des Mousquetaires.
“At Roland Garros, knowing all the Spanish players who have won this tournament and being able to put my name on this amazing list is incredible,” Alcaraz told reporters.
“Something I’ve dreamed of, to be in this position, since I started playing tennis, since I was five, six years old. So it’s a great, great feeling.”
Third-ranked Alcaraz has already won three majors, five Masters 1000s and become the youngest-ever world number one, but said Sunday’s triumph was his proudest moment so far.
He had battled a right hand injury in the build-up to the tournament, missing both the Monte Carlo Masters and the Rome Open, either side of a quarter-final loss to Andrei Rublev in Madrid.
“Right now lifting the Roland Garros trophy, knowing everything I’ve been through the last month with the injuries and all that, I don’t know. Probably this one,” he said.
“This is probably the moment I’m really proud of myself because everything I’ve done in the last month to get ready for this tournament…
“Well, I’ll say that’s what I’m most proud of.”
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