–I remember many of those matches between Djokovic and Nadal. As a kid, I watched millions of them. And seeing me here now is a dream. Because even then I told myself: ‘Someday I’ll be there’.
The chronicler’s brain is fried. Carlos Alcaraz (20) has juvenile acne and the resume of a sports legend. He has been at the top of the world for six months – he is the youngest number 1 in the history of the ATP circuit – but he is still a newcomer. He declares himself a superlative tennis player (“I think I’m one of the bestâ€) and, nevertheless, he tips his hat to the aura of his rival in the semifinal this afternoon at Roland Garros (2:45 p.m.), the superlative Novak Djokovic.
“For me, Djokovic will always be the favourite,” he says.
–¿…?
–I don’t throw balls out, but he has won 22 Grand Slam titles and has played 45 great semifinals…
(…)
The numbers will say one thing.
The situation, another.
Carlos Alcaraz is no longer a tennis pup. He is a tennis player whose legs “move as fast as Speedy González’s” (Tsitsipás dixit) and whose game produces “super shots” (Tsitsipás dixit too: he had spoken in shock, overcome as he was on Tuesday night, after having been run over by Murcian talent).
¿Y Djokovic?
Let’s hear from Tsitsipas, one more time:
–Djokovic continues to be that player who prefers to maintain control of the game and is capable of putting pressure on you when he has to.
The world of tennis stops here and now.
He wonders if this is going to be the classic of the future.
At the moment, it is the classic of the present.
(And of course, a duel that steals all the plans from the other semifinal, the Zverev-Ruud that will be played next).
(…)
Skinny and enigmatic, Mats Wilander enters the Roland Garros press room and takes up a space in a corner.
Wilander has been a tennis legend, with his seven Grand Slam titles in the eighties, and today he is a television commentator, a steely analyst.
The chronicler reminds him:
-A few days ago, you said: ‘Alcaraz is Federer with the passion of Nadal and the movements of Djokovic’. Do you keep your words?
Wilander asiente.
– I keep them.
And smile.
The environment of Alcaraz, the proposal is not convinced.
Alcaraz prefers to be himself, a player with his own aura, his shots and his charisma, not an imitation of others.
“I want to leave my stamp,” says Alcaraz when he finally lets go and stops being falsely modest.
When that happens, Alcaraz becomes a child of his time. Like Pogacar, Mbappé or Ingebrigtsen, he sees himself on top of the world.
And from there, scan the horizon.
–To be the best, you must beat the best. I only hope that my youth is superior to his experience -says Alcaraz.
¿Y Djokovic?
How does the Serb see it?
“Alcaraz believes a lot in himself,” says the Serb. He reminds me of someone from the same country… I think this is going to be one of the biggest challenges I can find in this tournament.
And it goes no further, not for now. Well, in other times, when asked about a hypothetical duel against Nadal at Roland Garros, Djokovic replied:
– Facing Nadal at Roland Garros is one of the greatest challenges that sport can pose for you.
