French Open: 10 Things to Know About Alcaraz
With the French Open the next tennis odds major on the docket, beginning May 22, top players are getting ready to duel at Roland Garros.
Though Rafael Nadal reigns supreme at the French Open, newcomer Carlos Alcaraz is rising and will look to compete for the title on the fabled clay.
Here are 10 things to know about Alcaraz.
1. He turned pro at 15.
Earning a rank as high as No. 22 in the world and winning 12 titles as a junior, Alcaraz saw success during his days on the International Tennis Federation junior circuit. Now 19, Alcaraz turned professional in 2018 when he was 15 years old.
2.He’s already beaten some greats.
On his way to winning the Madrid Masters in 2022, Alcaraz defeated both Nadal and Novak Djokovic, along with Alexander Zverev. With the wins over Nadal and Djokovic, Alcaraz became the only player to beat the two on consecutive days on clay.
3. He has a pretty good coach.
Tennis fans may know Alcaraz’ coach, as he is coached by Juan Carlos Ferrero. Ferrero, a former world No. 1 who won the French Open in 2003, has been coaching Alcaraz since September 2018.
4. He was named Newcomer of the Year.
In 2020, Alcaraz was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year after he went from No. 491 to No. 141 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. Age 17 at the time, Alcaraz was the youngest player in the year-end top 200, also winning his first tour-level win in the Rio Open to begin his ascent.
5. He started playing at a young age.
Alcaraz took up tennis when he was 4 years old, because of his dad. Alcaraz’ father, also Carlos, was once a top 40-ranked player in Spain, inspiring Alcaraz to get into the game.
6. He has won five titles.
In his relatively short time playing as a pro, Alcaraz has won five titles on the ATP Tour, four coming in 2022. Alcaraz won his first ATP title in 2021 at Umag, becoming the youngest player to win an ATP title on tour since 2008. He then kicked off his strong 2022 campaign with a win at the Rio Open to put him into the top 20. Alcaraz won the Miami Open, Barcelona Open as well as the Madrid Open, earning him a current world rank of No. 6.
7. He joined elite company in 2020.
After winning multiple ATP Challenger titles in 2020, Alcaraz became the fifth-youngest player to win multiple titles on the ATP Challenger Tour at 17 years and five months. With Richard Gasquet, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Nadal and Bernard Tomic being the younger four, that’s not bad company to keep.
8. His idol is Rafael Nadal.
After defeating Nadal in the Madrid Open, Alcaraz can add knocking off his idol to his list of accomplishments. Despite growing up watching Nadal and drawing comparisons with his fellow Spaniard, Alcaraz feels he plays more like Roger Federer, saying he has a more aggressive playing style like Federer.
9. He has other passions.
Although tennis betting is Alcaraz’ main focus, he enjoys other sports and hobbies when he is off the court as well. Alcaraz is a fan of the Real Madrid football team and enjoys golf.
10. He has an interesting pre-match ritual.
Every athlete has their own ritual to get them in the right headspace for their game or match. For Alcaraz, that includes taking a nap and playing chess. He said playing chess helps him sharpen his mind and focus, explaining in an interview how it helps him be faster mentally.
The first round of the French Open will kick off May 22, with Alcaraz listed as a +200 for betting.
