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Tag: Carlos Alcaraz

  • Novak Djokovic May Be About to Do the Unthinkable

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    Photo: Mark Avellino/Anadolu/Getty Images

    Until Friday, this year’s Australian Open was highly predictable and spiritually dull. So anticlimactic and upset free were the first 12 days that the story of the tournament had been the peaceful manner in which Coco Gauff, reeling from her quarterfinals loss, sought out a private area in the bowels of Rod Laver Arena to dismantle her racquet (she was caught on-camera, prompting 48 hours of discourse about surveillance and privacy or the lack thereof). On the men’s side, fans, pundits, and bookies agreed the whole tournament was sort of a mandatory preamble to yet another face-off between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have met in the finals of the past three majors and strengthened their choke hold over the rest of the tour.

    But the greatest player in men’s tennis history had other ideas.

    Over the past two seasons, 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, accustomed to being on top for so long, had emerged as a consistent third wheel to the Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly, reaching four major semifinals and losing to one of them at each. At 38 — an unthinkable age to be going this deep into majors — the Serb was an 8-1 underdog against Sinner going into their Friday semifinal, having lost his previous five matches against the world No 2. And the prospect that Djokovic could win a men and women’s record 25th major title — the distinction, one assumes, that has been preventing him from retiring altogether — seemed unlikely.

    That’s why his five-set win over Sinner, concluding just before 2 a.m. on Saturday in Melbourne, is up there with the most impressive feats in what was already the sport’s winningest résumé. Since Sinner’s emergence in 2022, the Italian had often been compared to Djokovic, with analysts somewhat lazily equating their suffocating consistency and ruthless ground strokes. But Sinner has always been the more natural aggressor, with Djokovic favoring an approach rooted in power absorption and counterpunching.

    On Friday night, however, Djokovic took the bigger cuts. Nowhere was his desire to shorten the points against his much younger and generally fresher opponent more evident than in the match’s third-to-last game, with Sinner threatening one final momentum shift. Serving at 4-3, the Serb fended off three break points. But this wasn’t exactly the Djokovic of years past, machinelike and steely-eyed, simply refusing to miss. This was Djokovic playing offensive, first-strike tennis, uncorking down-the-line forehands while airborne, drilling his backhand to the corners, firing off an ace, then keeling over in the sort of pain familiar to most 38-year-olds who push themselves to the limit. That he could impose his will on Sinner, 14 years his junior, seemed shocking at first and then fated, since it called to mind the physical and mental fortitude that has enabled Djokovic to win this tournament ten times.

    On several occasions, Djokovic crossed himself and looked up at the midnight sky as though being guided by a deity. And surely, Djokovic has had luck on his side these past two weeks, having been the beneficiary of Jakub Menšík’s withdrawal in the fourth round and, most fortuitously, Lorenzo Musetti’s mid-match retirement when Djokovic was down two sets and, as he put it later, “on my way home.”

    Djokovic may need another turn of good fortune in Sunday’s final against Alcaraz, whose own warriorlike resolve was on display in his gutsy, five-and-a-half-hour victory over Alexander Zverev in the other semifinal. History will be on the line: that record-setting 25th slam for Djokovic and a first Australian Open for Alcaraz, which would make him the youngest man to win all four majors. In the U.S. Open semifinals last September, Alcaraz appeared to have put a bit of distance between them, earning a mostly routine straight-set win. But only one year earlier, Djokovic had stunned the Spaniard at the Paris Olympics to add the elusive gold medal to his immense trophy case. If the idea that he would beat Sinner and Alcaraz back-to-back seemed far-fetched two weeks ago, consider the fact that nothing motivates Djokovic quite like his pursuit of the sport’s mountaintop.

    For most of us watching Stateside, the 3:30 a.m. wake-ups required to watch Australian Open tennis haven’t been especially rewarding this year. But Sunday’s match is worth setting an alarm for.

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    Jake Nevins

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  • Carlos Alcaraz Looked Invincible at the U.S Open Finals

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    When Carlos Alcaraz is on his game, he’s all but invincible.

    That has been something like an ironclad rule of men’s tennis the last few years. It was easy to see why during Sunday’s U.S. Open final, as Alcaraz dispatched his archrival Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in a match that wasn’t as close as the not-very-close score indicated. And while a fatigued-looking Sinner played far from his best tennis, it was difficult to imagine that even his A game could have surmounted this video-game version of Alcaraz, whose lethal mix of power and touch — a wonder to behold in person — made the No. 1 player in the world look lost. (Well, the previous world No. 1; with his second Open win, Alcaraz holds that crown now.)

    The scary thing for Sinner, not to mention everyone else on tour, is that Video Game Alcaraz is now his most frequent manifestation. The sometimes-transcendent, sometimes-sloppy Alcaraz of old — he lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of this tournament last year — has increasingly given way to a more disciplined, consistent greatness. Alcaraz was in command at every juncture of every match he played, all tournament long. The one contest where he didn’t play at his highest level throughout came against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals  — and he beat the 24-time major champion in straight sets anyway. “I feel like this is the best tournament so far that I have ever played,” Alcaraz said accurately, after the final.  Good luck out there, everyone else!

    In the monumental 2022 U.S. Open quarterfinal that cemented Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry, the two heavyweights both played at the zenith of their abilities simultaneously. That only happened for brief stretches on Sunday, and this wasn’t the epoch-defining men’s final that has consistently eluded the Open. (The two best finals in the last 20 years have involved Juan Martin del Potro and Daniil Medvedev, not quite household names.) Sinner looked uncomfortable from the opening game, in which he was immediately broken. His first serve deserted him for long periods, especially during a dreadful third set, and his heavy groundstrokes, which overwhelm almost every other opponent, were uncharacteristically inconsistent. Even when Sinner hit crisply, Alcaraz kept pace from the baseline, whipping his forehand and applying his unpredictable mix of brilliance — dropshots, slice forehands, sharp volleys — that kept Sinner off balance and searching for answers. Sinner did show flashes of brilliance. He managed to break Alcaraz and take the second set (the only set Alcaraz lost all tournament), and briefly looked to be turning on the jets again early in the fourth. But mostly, Sinner faced the kind of relentless pressure he usually doles out to his opponents, while Alcaraz managed to turn his serve, which has been a relative weakness, into a formidable weapon.

    Maybe Sinner was rattled by the presence of President Trump, or at least the chaos surrounding it; the match began 48 minutes after its scheduled start time, with stringent security measures causing infuriatingly lengthy wait times for fans, many of whom arrived well into the first set. (As for the crowd reaction to Trump and his MAGA coterie, I can testify that he received a mix of boos and cheers when he entered Arthur Ashe Stadium, but was more roundly booed when shown on the stadium’s big screen.) Or maybe Sinner was simply beaten down from the wear and tear of a long season. Sinner, unlike Alcaraz, had not quite looked himself for stretches of this tournament, especially in a shaky third-round match against Denis Shapovalov. He took a medical timeout during a tough semifinal against Felix Auger Aliassime, and may even have been struggling with a mild injury on Sunday. Yet he likely could have overcome such an impediment against any other player.

    Carlos Alcaraz is not any other player. At 22, he has already won six majors, and is pacing ahead of the Big Three at this point in their careers. Alcaraz also has a firm grip on the rivalry with Sinner, now having won seven of their last eight meetings, including two of the last three major finals. But Sinner is only 24 himself, with plenty of time to refine his otherworldly talents. In an unusually self-critical press conference after the match, he acknowledged that he must change his game to counter the one person on tour who can beat him with any kind of consistency.

    Sinner’s openness to a different approach speaks well of him, and heralds a new, possibly even more entertaining chapter in the rivalry. It’s possible a third player emerges in the next year or two to intrude on this new tennis duopoly, the way Djokovic crashed the Federer/Nadal party in the late 2010s (and proceeded to become the greatest of all time). But even if it’s just Alcaraz and Sinner at the top of tennis for years, we’re in very good hands.

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    Benjamin Hart

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  • Carlos Alcaraz overwhelms No. 1 Jannik Sinner to win 2025 US Open title | amNewYork

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    Tennis – U.S. Open – Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 7, 2025 Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with the trophy after winning the men’s singles final REUTERS/Mike Segar

    Carlos Alcaraz is the US Open champion once more after producing a sensational display of tennis to defeat World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner in four sets at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

    Alcaraz quite literally blew Sinner off the court for the majority of the 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory to deservedly seal his sixth grand slam title – and second US Open – in two hours and 42 minutes, with Alcaraz also dethroning Sinner as World Number 1 in the wake of Sunday’s victory.

    Sinner, who was bidding to become the first man to defend his US Open crown since Roger Federer in 2008, could not live with an opponent who produced a stunning array of winners in a near-perfect performance.  

    Sunday’s final – the third time that Alcaraz and Sinner have contested a grand slam final in 2025 – rarely saw both players reach their top level simultaneously, making for rapid and one-sided sets.

    It was Alcaraz, however, who produced his highest level far more consistently – apart from a second-set lull.

    The US Open final is typically a who’s who of celebrity attendees, but Sunday’s final trumped them all – literally. US President Donald Trump became the first sitting US President to attend the US Open in 25 years when he arrived at Sunday’s showpiece event and was roundly booed as he appeared on the stadium’s four jumbotrons.

    Meanwhile, music legend Bruce Springsteen, who had been involved in a spat with the President several months ago, drew one of the largest cheers of the afternoon when he appeared on the big screen.

    But the stars off the court did not dazzle as brightly as Alcaraz did on it, with the Spaniard avenging his Wimbledon final defeat to Sinner in some style.

    Alcaraz put on a tennis masterclass in the first set, producing a catalog of scorching winners and making precious little unforced errors to take the set in just 38 minutes.

    Many fans, however, missed that masterclass as hundreds of empty seats remained scattered among the upper bowls of Arthur Ashe throughout the entire set, with fans experiencing significant delays due to TSA-style security implemented for Trump’s attendance. The extra security had caused Sunday’s final to be delayed by 30 minutes. 

    Alcaraz broke in the very first game of the match after putting the Sinner serve under relentless pressure in a marathon game that lasted over eight minutes.

    He took the break by nullifying the Sinner serve and getting almost all returns in play, while also coming out on top of some ferocious baseline rallies.

    Sinner, meanwhile, produced an uncharacteristically error-strewn first set, making nine unforced errors to just six winners.

    Alcaraz, on the other hand, was almost flawless, making just two unforced errors in the entire set compared to 11 winners.

    He sealed a double break late in the set when Sinner sent a routine volley into the net.

    Alcaraz, who had been broken just twice all tournament coming into Sunday’s final, raced through his own service games, facing almost no resistance as he produced comfortable hold after comfortable hold.

    The Spaniard looked to press home the advantage and brought up a break point in the first game of the second set, which he could not convert.

    That seemed to rouse Sinner, who upped the ante significantly in the second set to bring the match back on level terms.

    Suddenly, it was the Italian who was producing spectacular winners and covering every inch of the Arthur Ashe surface, while Alcaraz was now producing the bulk of the unforced errors.

    Sinner broke to love early in the set courtesy of a few sensational points and now looked impregnable behind his own serve, with Alcaraz producing 11 unforced errors throughout the set to allow the World Number 1 to serve out with relative comfort.

    It marked the only time that Alcaraz dropped a set in the entire tournament.

    But Alcaraz upped his level at the beginning of the third and cracked the Sinner serve at the first time of asking when the Italian sent a relatively straightforward shot wide from the baseline. Sinner showed his frustration by sending a second ball skyward into the Ashe crowd.

    Sinner, defined by his robotic efficiency, produced three unfathomable forehand unforced errors in his very next service game to hand Alcaraz the double break.

    Alcaraz, who had again produced a tennis clinic, did not offer Sinner any route back into the set and comfortably closed out for a 2-1 lead. The World Number 2 had made just two unforced errors in the entire set to blow Sinner away.

    He continued the onslaught at the beginning of the fourth set and again brought up break points in the first game of the set, which Sinner saved courtesy of some big hitting.

    It did not take long for Alcaraz to make the critical breakthrough, however, with Sinner handing Alcaraz the all-important break midway through the fourth set courtesy of a double-fault and a wild forehand.

    Sinner did manage to save two championship points when Alcaraz was serving for the match, but the Spaniard held his nerve to convert on the third attempt, spreading his arms wide in celebration after an ace whizzed past Sinner. 

    For more on Carlos Alcaraz and the US Open, visit AMNY.com

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    by Shane O’Brien

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  • Trump attends the US Open as Rolex’s guest despite Swiss tariffs. Mixed cheers and boos greet him

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    President Donald Trump attended the U.S. Open on Sunday and briefly stepped out from a luxury box to wave at a main court crowd mostly still arriving for the men’s final. He drew mixed cheers and boos.Arthur Ashe stadium was only partially full and Trump’s waves weren’t announced beforehand. They were also brief enough so that some of those in attendance didn’t notice them.The president attended as a guest of Rolex despite imposing steep tariffs on the Swiss watchmaker’s home country, and organizers were seeking to keep booing of him from being seen on the TV broadcast.Trump has built the bulk of his second term’s domestic travel around attending major sports events rather than hitting the road to make policy announcements or address the kind of large rallies he so relished as a candidate.Because of extra security screening, the final between second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, and No. 1 seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner, 24, of Italy, was pushed back half an hour — meaning Trump arrived more than 45 minutes before the new start time. The president was watching from Rolex’s suite, and his acceptance of Rolex’s invitation comes mere weeks after the Trump administration imposed a whopping 39% tariff on Swiss products.The levy is more than 2 1/2 times higher than the one the Trump administration agreed to for European Union goods exported to the U.S. and nearly four times higher than on British exports to the U.S. It has raised questions about Switzerland’s ability to compete with the 27-member bloc that it neighbors.The White House declined to comment on Trump accepting a corporate client’s invitation at the tournament, but the president has had few qualms about blurring lines between political and foreign policy decisions and efforts to boost the profits of his family business.That includes tirelessly promoting cryptocurrency interests and luxury golf properties around the country and the world that bear his name. He announced Friday that the U.S. will use its turn hosting the Group of 20 summit in December 2026 to stage the sweeping event at Trump National Doral in South Florida.Any negative reaction to Trump’s presence won’t be shown on ABC’s national telecast, per standard policy, the U.S. Tennis Association says.”We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions,” the organization said in a statement.As heavy rains began mostly clearing, and throngs of fans arrived for the match, no major street protests against the president could be seen from the touranment’s main stadium. Attendees also steered clear of wearing any of the president’s signature “Make America Great Again” caps, though.A 58-year tennis fan originally from Turin, Italy, came from her home in the Boston area to watch the final and said that when she bought a U.S. Open cap, she went with a fuchsia-hued one so it wouldn’t be mistaken for the signature darker color of MAGA hats.”I was careful not to get the red one,” said the fan, who declined to give her name because of her employer’s rules about being publicly quoted.Attending with Trump were White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, special administration envoy Steve Witkoff and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff.Elsewhere in the crowd were a slew of celebrities — some of whom publicly backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris during last year’s election against Trump. Among them were Pink, Bruce Springsteen, Shonda Rhimes, Michael J. Fox, Sting, Shaggy, Ben Stiller and Courtney Cox.Trump came back to the press cabin on Air Force One during the flight to New York to note that the plane would be flying over Ashe stadium, but didn’t offer any further comment.Trump was once a U.S. Open mainstay, but hasn’t attended since he was loudly booed at a quarterfinals match in September 2015, months after launching his first presidential campaign.The Trump Organization once controlled its own U.S. Open suite, which was adjacent to the stadium’s television broadcasting booth, but suspended it in 2017, during the first year of Trump’s first term. The family business is now being run by Trump’s sons with their father back in the White House.Trump was born in Queens, home of the U.S. Open, and for decades was a New York-area real estate mogul and, later, a reality TV star. Attending the tournament before he was a politician, he usually sat in the suite’s balcony during night matches and was frequently shown on the arena’s video screens.In recent years, however, including between his presidential terms, Trump primarily lived at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.Alcaraz said before the final that having Trump on-hand would be a privilege and “great for tennis,” but also suggested that such sentiment went for any president watching from the stands. “I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it,” he said.The president has also frequently attended sporting events — where the roar of the crowd sometimes features people booing him while others cheer him.Since returning to the White House in January and prior to Sunday’s U.S Open swing, Trump went to the Super Bowl in New Orleans and the Daytona 500, as well as UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Having a sitting president attend the U.S. Open hasn’t happened since Bill Clinton went to the 2000 tournament, though former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, attended the event’s opening night in 2023.___Associated Press writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

    President Donald Trump attended the U.S. Open on Sunday and briefly stepped out from a luxury box to wave at a main court crowd mostly still arriving for the men’s final. He drew mixed cheers and boos.

    Arthur Ashe stadium was only partially full and Trump’s waves weren’t announced beforehand. They were also brief enough so that some of those in attendance didn’t notice them.

    The president attended as a guest of Rolex despite imposing steep tariffs on the Swiss watchmaker’s home country, and organizers were seeking to keep booing of him from being seen on the TV broadcast.

    Trump has built the bulk of his second term’s domestic travel around attending major sports events rather than hitting the road to make policy announcements or address the kind of large rallies he so relished as a candidate.

    Because of extra security screening, the final between second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, and No. 1 seed and defending champion Jannik Sinner, 24, of Italy, was pushed back half an hour — meaning Trump arrived more than 45 minutes before the new start time. The president was watching from Rolex’s suite, and his acceptance of Rolex’s invitation comes mere weeks after the Trump administration imposed a whopping 39% tariff on Swiss products.

    The levy is more than 2 1/2 times higher than the one the Trump administration agreed to for European Union goods exported to the U.S. and nearly four times higher than on British exports to the U.S. It has raised questions about Switzerland’s ability to compete with the 27-member bloc that it neighbors.

    The White House declined to comment on Trump accepting a corporate client’s invitation at the tournament, but the president has had few qualms about blurring lines between political and foreign policy decisions and efforts to boost the profits of his family business.

    That includes tirelessly promoting cryptocurrency interests and luxury golf properties around the country and the world that bear his name. He announced Friday that the U.S. will use its turn hosting the Group of 20 summit in December 2026 to stage the sweeping event at Trump National Doral in South Florida.

    Any negative reaction to Trump’s presence won’t be shown on ABC’s national telecast, per standard policy, the U.S. Tennis Association says.

    “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions,” the organization said in a statement.

    As heavy rains began mostly clearing, and throngs of fans arrived for the match, no major street protests against the president could be seen from the touranment’s main stadium. Attendees also steered clear of wearing any of the president’s signature “Make America Great Again” caps, though.

    A 58-year tennis fan originally from Turin, Italy, came from her home in the Boston area to watch the final and said that when she bought a U.S. Open cap, she went with a fuchsia-hued one so it wouldn’t be mistaken for the signature darker color of MAGA hats.

    “I was careful not to get the red one,” said the fan, who declined to give her name because of her employer’s rules about being publicly quoted.

    Attending with Trump were White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, special administration envoy Steve Witkoff and Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff.

    Elsewhere in the crowd were a slew of celebrities — some of whom publicly backed then-Vice President Kamala Harris during last year’s election against Trump. Among them were Pink, Bruce Springsteen, Shonda Rhimes, Michael J. Fox, Sting, Shaggy, Ben Stiller and Courtney Cox.

    Trump came back to the press cabin on Air Force One during the flight to New York to note that the plane would be flying over Ashe stadium, but didn’t offer any further comment.

    Trump was once a U.S. Open mainstay, but hasn’t attended since he was loudly booed at a quarterfinals match in September 2015, months after launching his first presidential campaign.

    The Trump Organization once controlled its own U.S. Open suite, which was adjacent to the stadium’s television broadcasting booth, but suspended it in 2017, during the first year of Trump’s first term. The family business is now being run by Trump’s sons with their father back in the White House.

    Trump was born in Queens, home of the U.S. Open, and for decades was a New York-area real estate mogul and, later, a reality TV star. Attending the tournament before he was a politician, he usually sat in the suite’s balcony during night matches and was frequently shown on the arena’s video screens.

    In recent years, however, including between his presidential terms, Trump primarily lived at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

    Alcaraz said before the final that having Trump on-hand would be a privilege and “great for tennis,” but also suggested that such sentiment went for any president watching from the stands. “I don’t want myself to be nervous because of it,” he said.

    The president has also frequently attended sporting events — where the roar of the crowd sometimes features people booing him while others cheer him.

    Since returning to the White House in January and prior to Sunday’s U.S Open swing, Trump went to the Super Bowl in New Orleans and the Daytona 500, as well as UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia and the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

    Having a sitting president attend the U.S. Open hasn’t happened since Bill Clinton went to the 2000 tournament, though former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, attended the event’s opening night in 2023.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

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  • Alcaraz races past Djokovic to book US Open final spot | amNewYork

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    Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates his victory over Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

    Photo: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

    Carlos Alcaraz is back in the US Open final after a dominant straight-sets victory against 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday afternoon.

    The 2022 US Open champion was full value for his 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory in two hours and 23 minutes against a 38-year-old opponent who looked every bit his age by the match’s conclusion.

    Alcaraz, despite being 16 years younger than his opponent, had actually lost four of his last five meetings with Djokovic but produced a clinical performance to book his place in Sunday’s final against the winner of Friday night’s semi-final between Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

    Alcaraz is yet to drop a set at this year’s tournament, becoming the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to reach the US Open final without the loss of a set.

    The Spaniard was not at his very best on Friday, producing 30 unforced errors throughout, but it was his ability to consistently hit winners from the baseline and win points behind his serve that proved the difference against an opponent who noticeably tired after losing the second set.

    “It wasn’t the best level,” Alcaraz said in an on-court interview after seeing off Djokovic. “I served pretty well, which was really, really important.”

    Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
    Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.Photo: Mike Frey-Imagn Images

    Alcaraz did produce an impressive 31 winners on Friday – more than double Djokovic’s tally – and was ruthless when it mattered most, particularly at the beginning of the first set.

    Djokovic, who started sluggishly, was broken in the very first game of the set as Alcaraz put his serve under relentless pressure, obliterating the Serb’s second serve in the early stages.

    Alcaraz, meanwhile, was near-flawless on his own serve and did not face a single break point in the entire set as he comfortably saw out the opening set in 47 minutes.

    Djokovic, however, had shown signs of improvement toward the end of the set and started the second set on the front foot.

    He pounced in Alcaraz’s firsts service game of the set when the Spaniard produced an uncharacteristically loose game to hand Djokovic a break point.

    Djokovic converted his first – and only – break point of the match when he somehow produced a stunning lob with Alcaraz waiting at the net. Alcaraz reached that shot but fired a backhand long later in the rally to hand Djokovic the break. It was only the second time in the entire tournament that Alcaraz had dropped his serve.

    It did not take long for the Spaniard to shake off that sluggish start, however, and the set was quickly back on serve when Alcaraz produced an outright flicked passing winner to bring up break point and draw applause from Djokovic, who sent a forehand long on the very next point to get back on track in the set.

    It would be the last break point that either player enjoyed in the second set as the set hurtled toward a tiebreaker.

    In an unusual tiebreaker where both players found it easier to win points on their opponent’s serve, it was Alcaraz’s ability to win back-to-back points on his own serve while leading 5-4 that proved crucial as the 2022 US Open champion moved into a two-set lead.

    The Djokovic of old would have relished such circumstances, having come back from two sets down in countless matches throughout his career.

    This, however, is not the Djokovic of old and the 38-year-old looked his age in the third set, handing Alcaraz an early break courtesy of a double-fault.

    Speaking afterward, Djokovic said he felt like he had enough energy to “battle” with Alcaraz for two sets but felt he could not keep up with his opponent as the match moved into a third set.

    He never looked close to breaking back and looked increasingly labored as the set – and match – drifted toward an inevitable conclusion, with Alcaraz breaking again in the eighth and final game of the set as Djokovic moved gingerly around the court.

    A philosophical Djokovic said afterward that it is difficult to see how he can compete against Alcaraz and World Number 1 Jannik Sinner in best-of-five sets grand slam matches.

    Djokovic has suffered straight-sets semi-final defeats against either Alcaraz or Sinner in each of his last three grand slam appearances and said Friday that both players are “too good.”

    “Best-of-five makes it very, very difficult for me to play them, particularly at the end stages of grand slams,” Djokovic said.

    Djokovic, however, said he still looks forward to participating in all four grand slams next year and hinted that he would be open to playing more best-of-three set tournaments in 2026.

    “I’m happy with my level of tennis,” Djokovic said. “It’s just the physicality of it.” 

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    By Shane O’Brien

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  • The Meaning of Carlos Alcaraz’s New Haircut

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    If you happened to be idling by the U.S. Open practice courts on Monday, you might have overheard the collective gasp when world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz emerged for his practice session looking like a slimmed-down Private Pyle. Or maybe the idea was Furiosa of Mad Max. Or David Beckham circa Y2K. Whichever way you spin it, tennis’s boy wonder had chopped off all his hair. And while actual matches were taking place all over the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, it seemed, for a brief moment, that all anyone could talk about was the 22-year-old’s unfortunate buzz cut, a shave almost as close as his landmark French Open final against Jannik Sinner this past June.

    The U.S. Open press corps, always eager to gin up story lines that have nothing to do with tennis itself, went on to solicit comments from a number of Alcaraz’s peers. “I don’t know who told him to do that,” said Frances Tiafoe, “but it’s terrible.” John McEnroe agreed. Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu, the Spaniard’s partner in last week’s revamped mixed-doubles event, was considerably more charitable. “I think he pulls it off,” she said in her press conference following her opening-round win. “If you own a haircut like that, then it can work.” And Sinner, whose fierce rivalry with Alcaraz appears far more amiable than the ones that dominated the sport’s previous eras, kept things diplomatic. “Honestly, I think everything suits him,” said the Italian, though he clarified he had no plans to shave off his own red curls.

    In the information vacuum, the rabid community of keyboard warriors better known as “Tennis Twitter” was left to make assumptions. The Alca-buzz, they thought, must have been the work of “Victor Barber,” né Victor Martínez, a minor celebrity best known for fashioning Alcaraz’s hair into any number of unflattering shapes and styles. “Victor barber deserves jail time for the crimes he commits,” wrote one X user in reaction to Alcaraz’s mid-tournament fade at Roland Garros earlier this year. This time, Barber was quick to clear his name, explaining that he had nothing to do with the buzz cut when asked for comment. “I’m hallucinating …” he told the tennis writer Ben Rothenberg, sending along a face-palm emoji to more emphatically express his displeasure with his world-famous client.

    So how, exactly, did this happen? As it turned out, it’s a classic tale of brotherly mischief. Following his first-round win against Reilly Opelka, Alcaraz told reporters he thought the flight from Spain to New York was too far to enlist Barber’s services, so he turned instead to his brother Alvaro. “He misunderstood with the machine,” said the 2022 U.S. Open winner plainly. “Then, the only way to fix it was just to shave it off.”

    You could choose to see the tale of Alcaraz’s haircut as a silly distraction, the kind of human-interest story that gets casual tennis fans more invested in the quiet and congested early days of a Slam. Or, perhaps, it’s better viewed as a testament to the health of a sport that left one golden era — defined by global icons like Roger Federer and Serena Williams — and fortuitously entered another, one in which the questionable but ultimately endearing aesthetic choices of a future all-time great managed to sustain the attention of fans, reporters, and even players for the first few days of the year’s final major. You could sense it around the practice courts, as fans squinted to get a closer look, turning to one another to confirm that the man in the muscle tank was, indeed, Carlos Alcaraz, looking the part of a prizefighter. Tennis has no shortage of star power.

    The haircut is also an indication of Alcaraz’s swagger, confidence, and willingness to get playful. It’s the last quality that makes for a nice contrast with Sinner, his much more stolid rival, and their immediate predecessors. (It is difficult to imagine Federer or Rafael Nadal debuting a botched haircut on the first Monday of a major, much less Novak Djokovic, who still finds himself jockeying for fans’ affection in the twilight of his career.) But when Alcaraz winkingly polled the Arthur Ashe crowd about his new ’do after his first-round win, he knew they’d roar for him, and roar they did.

    And besides, the buzz-cut saga appears to have had little effect on the Spaniard’s tennis. He has managed to cruise through his first three matches, losing only six games in his third-round match against Luciano Darderi and only four games in the round before that. For a third straight Slam, all roads are pointing to a final featuring Alcaraz and Sinner. And given the fast clip at which the Spaniard’s hair seems to grow, one imagines the buzz cut won’t look quite so dire by next Sunday.

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    Jake Nevins

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  • Errani and Vavassori win revamped US Open mixed doubles to defend their title

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori weren’t even sure they would get to defend their U.S. Open mixed doubles title. Organizers revamped the tournament because they wanted singles superstars, not doubles specialists.

    They not only made it back to New York, they made it back to the top.

    The Italians beat No. 3 seeds Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7 (10-6) on Wednesday night, winning four matches over two days to earn $1 million— a huge raise over their earnings in New York last year in a format that looked nothing like this one.

    Errani and Vavassori were among the many critics of the changes to the event that shut out every other traditional doubles pairing, but had nothing but smiles — and plenty of hugs — after building a quick lead in the match tiebreaker and holding on in front of a large crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    “I think it was important for us to play,” Vavassori said. “Like, I have to say the initiative was also important because it was really a statement that doubles can become something better. The stadium was packed. The people were enjoying it. If something doesn’t work — like, we showed today that it’s working. Like, the people were going crazy.”

    It was a setting rarely enjoyed by doubles players and what U.S. Open organizers sought when they overhauled their tournament, moving it to well before singles play starts Sunday in hopes that tennis’ best-known players would play.

    Many of them did. But in the end, the event belonged to the doubles duo.

    Eight teams in the 16-team field qualified by their players’ combined singles rankings, with the remaining teams given wild cards. Errani doubted the Italians were going to get one.

    They eventually did and became the first repeat mixed doubles champions in Flushing Meadows since Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jamie Murray in 2018-19. Both repeatedly said they were representing the many doubles players who never had the chance to come to New York with them this year.

    “I think this one is also for them,” Errani said.

    The event drew past U.S. Open singles champions Carlos Alcaraz, Emma Raducanu, Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and Daniil Medvedev, all of whom lost on the first day. Even without them, almost all the seats were full for the three matches Wednesday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the roof closed after it rained most of the afternoon.

    Ruud acknowledged that the U.S. Tennis Association took a bold risk with its changes, with critics saying it turned the championship, with shortened sets to 4 games in the first three rounds, into a glorified exhibition, rather than the two-week, 32-event of the past. But even players who specialize in doubles agreed that the event got way more attention than they are accustomed to.

    “Any time you get a full crowd like this, how can we keep that going?” Christian Harrison said after he and Danielle Collins lost 4-2, 4-2 to Errani and Vavassori in the semis. “I mean, unreal night. I won’t forget this night.”

    Swiatek and Ruud edged the top-seeded team of Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper 3-5, 5-3 (10-8) in the other semifinal, battling back from an 8-4 deficit in the match tiebreaker.

    The No. 2-ranked Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, and Ruud, who has reached three major singles finals, then played well in the final.

    But they couldn’t match the doubles prowess of the Italians, who won a second major title together at this year’s French Open. Vavassori, with his height and constant movement around the net, was a hard target to pass even for Swiatek and Ruud, two accurate ball strikers from the baseline.

    “I think in doubles we showed it’s very important know how to play doubles,” Errani said. “In doubles it’s not just serving good, hitting good, returning good. There are many other things that are not easy.”

    Errani is one of the most accomplished women’s doubles players ever, having won a career Grand Slam with former partner Roberta Vinci, along with the 2024 Olympic gold medal with Jasmine Paolini — who was in the crowd cheering after pulling out of this event after losing to Swiatek on Monday night in the Cincinnati final.

    Swiatek opted to stay in and shared $400,000 with Ruud — double what Errani and Vavassori earned for winning last year.

    ___

    More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

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  • Rafael Nadal’s Olympics end in doubles loss with Carlos Alcaraz to Americans Krajicek and Ram

    Rafael Nadal’s Olympics end in doubles loss with Carlos Alcaraz to Americans Krajicek and Ram

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    Rafael Nadal’s Olympics end in doubles loss with Carlos Alcaraz to Americans Krajicek and Ram

    Rafael Nadal’s Paris Games — and, almost certainly, his Olympic career — ended Wednesday night when he and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated in the men’s doubles quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 loss to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.The match was played at Court Philippe Chatrier, the same stadium where Nadal has won his record 14 French Open titles, part of his haul of 22 Grand Slam trophies. The full house roared and sang to support Nadal and Alcaraz — well, mainly Nadal — especially as they tried to stave off defeat in the final game.The 38-year-old Nadal has not announced anything about his plans or possible retirement, but given his age and recent history of injuries, an appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics seems far-fetched. He might not even compete at all beyond the Paris Games, but that is far less clear.Nadal won gold medals for Spain in singles at Beijing in 2008 and in doubles at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. This time around, he was defeated in singles on Monday by rival Novak Djokovic.The doubles outcome seemed pretty much decided when Ram smacked a return winner off a serve by Alcaraz to break him at love and lead 4-3 in the second set. The Spaniards thought the ball landed out and bent down to get closer to the clay while arguing their case with French chair umpire Morgane Lara. But the call did not change. And soon, Krajicek was serving to close it out.Still, Nadal never has been one to concede a thing, and so it was fitting that he and Alcaraz earned a break point there, a chance to extend the evening. Didn’t happen, though, and soon Alcaraz and Nadal were hugging on one side of the net — and Ram and Krajicek were doing the same on the other.

    Rafael Nadal’s Paris Games — and, almost certainly, his Olympic career — ended Wednesday night when he and Carlos Alcaraz were eliminated in the men’s doubles quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 loss to the fourth-seeded American duo of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

    The match was played at Court Philippe Chatrier, the same stadium where Nadal has won his record 14 French Open titles, part of his haul of 22 Grand Slam trophies. The full house roared and sang to support Nadal and Alcaraz — well, mainly Nadal — especially as they tried to stave off defeat in the final game.

    The 38-year-old Nadal has not announced anything about his plans or possible retirement, but given his age and recent history of injuries, an appearance at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics seems far-fetched. He might not even compete at all beyond the Paris Games, but that is far less clear.

    Nadal won gold medals for Spain in singles at Beijing in 2008 and in doubles at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. This time around, he was defeated in singles on Monday by rival Novak Djokovic.

    Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts playing with Spain's Carlos Alcaraz against US' Austin Krajicek and US' Rajeev Ram during their men's doubles quarter-final tennis match on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Stadium during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris on July 31, 2024. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP) (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)

    The doubles outcome seemed pretty much decided when Ram smacked a return winner off a serve by Alcaraz to break him at love and lead 4-3 in the second set. The Spaniards thought the ball landed out and bent down to get closer to the clay while arguing their case with French chair umpire Morgane Lara. But the call did not change. And soon, Krajicek was serving to close it out.

    Still, Nadal never has been one to concede a thing, and so it was fitting that he and Alcaraz earned a break point there, a chance to extend the evening. Didn’t happen, though, and soon Alcaraz and Nadal were hugging on one side of the net — and Ram and Krajicek were doing the same on the other.

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  • Olympic moment of the day: The love story between Rafael Nadal and Paris

    Olympic moment of the day: The love story between Rafael Nadal and Paris

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    Roland Garros, Paris (CNN) — It’s a love affair that began almost 20 years ago and the passion clearly hasn’t fizzled out at all.

    Paris and Rafael Nadal are a match made in heaven. And for a brief spell in the second set of the Olympic men’s singles tennis tournament’s most anticipated match between the Spaniard and his longtime rival Novak Djokovic, it seemed like it might be enough to spur the 14-time French Open champion to a comeback that seemed impossible just minutes before.

    What started out as the most highly-anticipated match of these Olympics quickly threatened to turn into a snoozer. Djokovic wildly outplayed Nadal in the opening set and the beginning of the second, looking unstoppable with a 6-1 first set and going up 4-0 in the second.

    The roars from Court Philippe-Chatrier in support of Nadal winners and the chants of “Rafa! Rafa!” had gone from a roar to a plea. Sweat poured from the King of Clay’s brow in between games and he looked no match for the Serb’s power and speed.

    But when Nadal took the fifth game of the second set, time seemed to suddenly roll back.

    When Djokovic sent the ball into the net, the crowd cheered. Djokovic double faulted in the next game to give Nadal a break point, the crowd roared. And as Nadal took the next two games, Roland Garros exploded in unison as it tried one more time to carry its favorite champion.

    “I always feel like playing at home when I play here,” Nadal said afterward. “It’s so special for me. I enjoyed the fans, and they gave me the advantage at the moment that things started to change a little bit, so I can’t thank enough all the people here who, you know, made me feel so special.”

    It’s a relationship developed over the years and covered in glory. Nadal’s performances on the red Parisian clay are the stuff of legend and he dominated the French Open like no other man in history.

    Over those 19 years of playing at this famous stadium, a relationship has been built between the Spaniard and the Paris crowds who pack the stands. On Monday, Djokovic was cheered.

    But Nadal? He was loved.

    “This, for me, is amazing to have and to have the feeling that I feel very, very well supported and loved. It’s the most important place of my career,” the 22-time grand slam champion said.

    In the end, it wasn’t enough. Djokovic took the final two games of the second set and continued his quest in search of his first gold medal: the one honor his extraordinary career lacks.

    Nadal will still be playing in the Paris Games, teaming with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles competition.

    The Spanish legend is reluctant to say that he’s done playing at Roland Garros or playing against Djokovic. When asked about retirement after the match, he seemed frustrated with the question.

    “Every day? Every day you want me to retire, every day, guys,” Nadal said.

    “You know, I am trying to do my best every single day, you know? … I cannot live every single day with the feeling that it’s going to be or not going to be my last match,” Nadal said.

    “I come here, I try my best, I play my best, and when I decide to stop playing or when I decide to keep going, I will let you know. I don’t know, I just try my best every single day trying to enjoy a thing that I have been enjoying for so much time.

    “I have been suffering a lot of injuries the last two years, so if I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically I’m not enough ready to keep going, I will stop and I will let you know, you know?”

    A prolonged standing ovation for the Spaniard marked his exit from the court on Monday. It certainly seems that Paris isn’t ready for its romance with Nadal to fade away just yet.

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  • Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

    Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

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    Roland Garros, Paris (CNN) — After all these years, Rafael Nadal is still finding new ways to win matches on his favorite tennis court.

    His latest victory on the French clay came alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics, and together they formed a dream pairing – a two-for-the-price-of-one ticket for tennis fans and a moment that could only really happen at the Olympics.

    For close to two hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier – the site of Nadal’s 14 French Open titles and Alcaraz’s first just last month – the crowd fell hard for “Nadalcaraz,” providing frenzied support during the Spanish duo’s 7-6(7-4) 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.

    Saturday’s match was a rare opportunity to see two of the game’s biggest names, each at opposite ends of their career, on the same side of the net: Nadal with all the experience and sparkle of his 22 grand slam titles, and Alcaraz with his flourishing career and high-octane style of play.

    The victory against two seasoned doubles players was by no means easy, likely a sign of the limited time that Nadal and Alcaraz have spent training and playing together. But it was nonetheless an entertaining introduction to tennis’ new favorite double act.

    “It’s been an emotional night, an electrifying night, an amazing crowd,” Nadal told reporters. “Playing with Carlos on this court has been so special. We’re just super happy about the victory, that it’s given us the chance to keep going.”

    Nadal had already taken center stage at this year’s Olympics, chosen as one of the final torchbearers for Friday night’s opening ceremony.

    Less than 24 hours later, he was out on court putting on a different kind of show alongside Alcaraz, displaying sharpness and a deft touch at the net. The crowd in Philippe-Chatrier chanted his name throughout the contest, and one of the loudest roars came when he celebrated winning match point by pumping a ball into the stands.

    “Yesterday was a super emotional moment for me too and I can’t thank Paris and France enough for giving me that honor,” said Nadal. “The emotion’s still very high, so just enjoying every single moment.”

    The teams traded breaks of serve at the start of the Saturday’s match before becoming locked in a tight and lengthy first set. It wasn’t until midway through the first-set tie-break, following chants of “allez Les Blues” with the news that France had won gold in the rugby seven, that Nadal and Alcaraz edged ahead.

    Three straight points gave them a 6-3 lead, and Nadal seized the opening with a powerful backhand return down the line to conclude the set.

    That advantage looked to be disappearing as González and Molteni broke Nadal’s serve to take a 3-0 lead, but the Spaniards responded in style, reeling off the next 12 points in a row to get back on level terms at 3-3.

    Another break of serve followed two games later, which Alcaraz had engineered with a cross-court backhand, before Nadal was able to serve out for the match.

    The 21-year-old Alcaraz, playing alongside one of his childhood idols, is on a stunning run of form having won titles at the French Open and Wimbledon in the past two months. He kicked off his Olympics singles campaign by defeating Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3 6-1 earlier on Saturday.

    That was his first taste of competing at the Olympics, while Nadal is hoping to add to the two golds he has won previously – singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016. Now entering the final stage of his career, it’s as much about enjoying the experience as it is winning titles for the 38-year-old.

    His all-star partnership with Alcaraz has only been a couple of weeks in the making, while González and Molteni, who have played and won titles together multiple times in their long careers, provided a difficult early test.

    “You see Rafa with his experience and charisma,” Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moyá, said before Saturday’s match. “And then you see Carlos, kind of like Rafa was aged 20 or 21, very expressive and effusive … hopefully they can keep going because it’s a partnership that tennis fans can fall in love with.”

    Nadal is still scheduled to play against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Sunday, despite uncertainty around whether he will compete in the singles draw. If he does, he could face Novak Djokovic in the second round, and had a quick response when asked if he was ready for a last dance against his great rival.

    “Who said last dance?” he shot back. And who can blame him when he’s still winning on his favorite court, all to the applause of thousands of fans?

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  • Kate, the Princess of Wales, hands Carlos Alcaraz his Wimbledon trophy in a rare appearance for her

    Kate, the Princess of Wales, hands Carlos Alcaraz his Wimbledon trophy in a rare appearance for her

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    LONDON (AP) — Kate, the Princess of Wales, handed Carlos Alcaraz the champion’s trophy after the Wimbledon men’s final at the All England Club on Sunday in only her second public appearance since announcing she was diagnosed with cancer.

    Kate, wife of heir to the throne Prince William, was greeted by a standing ovation when she arrived in the Royal Box at Centre Court to watch Alcaraz’s victory over Novak Djokovic. After leaving the court following the trophy ceremony, the princess and Alcaraz had a conversation in a room inside the tournament’s main stadium.

    “You played so well,” Kate told him. “Enjoy the win.”

    Earlier, Kate — wearing a purple dress, one of Wimbledon’s official colors — went from the stands down to the playing surface to present the trophies, part of her duties as patron of the All England Club, which hosts the annual tournament.

    She shook hands with some of the ball kids who worked at the tournament, then exchanged words with both players and applauded for Alcaraz after giving him the winner’s trophy for the second year in a row.

    “It was, of course, a privilege to be in her presence again. I’ve said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health; she seems to be in good health,” Djokovic said at his postmatch news conference. “That’s obviously very positive news for everyone in this country, but also for Wimbledon.”

    Kate and her 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, got to the site of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament in southwest London in a motorcade about a half-hour before the final was scheduled to begin. They went to a terrace at the club that is connected to the main stadium by a pedestrian walkway and greeted several people, including 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu and other young British tennis players.

    Also in the Royal Box for the final were Kate’s sister, Pippa Matthews, actors Tom Cruise and Benedict Cumberbatch and several past Wimbledon champions, including Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Stefan Edberg.

    Since 2016, Kate has been the patron of the All England Club. She did not attend Saturday when Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini for the women’s title.

    Kate revealed in March that she has an unspecified form of cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. Her lone public appearance since then had been attending last month’s birthday parade for King Charles III. Before that event, she released a statement saying she was “making good progress” but still had “good days and bad days.”

    Prince William has been a regular at Wimbledon finals but was not there Sunday. Instead, he planned to be in Germany to watch England face Spain in the final of the men’s soccer European Championship. He is the president of the English Football Association.

    Queen Camilla, wife of King Charles III, visited Wimbledon on Wednesday.

    ___

    AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

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  • Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexander Zverev in the French Open final for his third Grand Slam title

    Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexander Zverev in the French Open final for his third Grand Slam title

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    Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open championship and third Grand Slam title by coming back to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.Alcaraz is a 21-year-old from Spain who grew up watching countryman Rafael Nadal win trophy after trophy at Roland Garros — a record 14 in all — and now has eclipsed Nadal as the youngest man to collect major championships on three surfaces. Nadal was about 1½ years older when he did it.Sunday’s victory allowed Alcaraz to add the clay-court championship at Roland Garros to his triumphs on hard courts at the U.S. Open in 2022 and on grass at Wimbledon in 2023.Alcaraz is now 3-0 in Grand Slam finals.”You’re already a Hall of Famer and you already achieved so much,” said Zverev, who dropped to 0-2 in major title matches. “Not the last time you’re going to win this.”Zverev, a 27-year-old from Germany, was the runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open after blowing a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem.This time, Zverev lost after surging in front by reeling off the last five games of the third set. Alcaraz’s level dipped during that stretch and he seemed distracted by a complaint over the condition of the clay at Court Philippe Chatrier, telling chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein it was “unbelievable.”But Alcaraz reset himself and surged to the finish, taking 12 of the last 15 games while being treated by a trainer at changeovers for an issue with his left leg.No. 3 Alcaraz and No. 4 Zverev were making their first appearance in a French Open final. Indeed, this was the first men’s title match at Roland Garros since 2004 without Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.Nadal lost to Zverev in the first round two weeks ago; Djokovic, a three-time champion, withdrew before the quarterfinals with a knee injury that required surgery; Federer is retired.There were some jitters at the outset. Zverev started the proceedings with a pair of double-faults — walking to the sideline to change rackets after the second, as though the equipment was the culprit — and eventually got broken. Alcaraz lost serve immediately, too, framing a forehand that sent the ball into the stands — which he would do on a handful of occasions — and double-faulting, trying a so-so drop shot that led to an easy winner for Zverev, then missing a backhand.Let’s just say they won’t be putting those initial 10 minutes in the Louvre. A lot of the 4-hour, 19-minute match was patchy, littered with unforced errors.Alcaraz managed to come out strong in the fourth set, grabbing 16 of the first 21 points to move out to a 4-0 edge, including one brilliant, sliding, down-the-line forehand passing winner that he celebrated by thrusting his right index finger overhead in a “No. 1” sign, then throwing an uppercut while screaming, “Vamos!”No, he is not ranked No. 1 at the moment — Jannik Sinner makes his debut at the top spot on Monday — but he has been before and, although a “2” will be beside Alcaraz’s name next week, there is little doubt that he is as good as it gets in men’s tennis right now.Like on Sunday, Alcaraz overturned a deficit of two sets to one in the semifinals against Sinner, making him the first man to capture the French Open by doing that since Manolo Santana — also from Spain — pulled off the trick in 1961.Returning serves from way back, before moving close to the baseline as points progressed, Alcaraz showed off his full, varied repertoire. The drop shots, the artful half-volleys, the intimidating forehands delivered aggressively and accompanied by a loud, one-syllable grunt that sounded like “Eh!” at times and “Uh!” at others. He finished with 27 forehand winners, 20 more than Zverev.In the fifth set, under constant pressure from Alcaraz, Zverev played a poor game that included two miscues plus a double-fault, helping Alcaraz move in front at 2-1. The next game was pivotal and showed the grit and gumption that already have become hallmarks of Alcaraz’s style.Zverev — who argued about one line call in that game, saying, “There’s no way!” — would hold a total of four break points. He failed to convert any. Alcaraz didn’t let him. After dismissing those chances, Alcaraz wrapped up the game to lead 3-1 with a drop-shot winner.The crowd roared. Alcaraz held his left index finger to his ear while waving his racket and nodding, seeking even more noise. It arrived. He would break again for 5-2, then served it out and dropped onto his back, caking his shirt with clay — just as Nadal often did after championship point.Alcaraz first learned to play tennis on the rust-colored slow surface, although he says he prefers hard courts. He grew up running home from school at this time of year to watch on TV as Nadal competed in Paris. Alcaraz says he dreamed back then of adding his own name to the list of Spanish men to win the event, including 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach.And those red-and-yellow Spanish flags that became such an annual fixture at Chatrier in the era of Nadal were there again Sunday, this time to support Alcaraz. The difference? The cries that once were for “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” are now for “Car-los! Car-los!” [/related

    Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open championship and third Grand Slam title by coming back to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.

    Alcaraz is a 21-year-old from Spain who grew up watching countryman Rafael Nadal win trophy after trophy at Roland Garros — a record 14 in all — and now has eclipsed Nadal as the youngest man to collect major championships on three surfaces. Nadal was about 1½ years older when he did it.

    Sunday’s victory allowed Alcaraz to add the clay-court championship at Roland Garros to his triumphs on hard courts at the U.S. Open in 2022 and on grass at Wimbledon in 2023.

    Alcaraz is now 3-0 in Grand Slam finals.

    “You’re already a Hall of Famer and you already achieved so much,” said Zverev, who dropped to 0-2 in major title matches. “Not the last time you’re going to win this.”

    Zverev, a 27-year-old from Germany, was the runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open after blowing a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem.

    This time, Zverev lost after surging in front by reeling off the last five games of the third set. Alcaraz’s level dipped during that stretch and he seemed distracted by a complaint over the condition of the clay at Court Philippe Chatrier, telling chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein it was “unbelievable.”

    But Alcaraz reset himself and surged to the finish, taking 12 of the last 15 games while being treated by a trainer at changeovers for an issue with his left leg.

    No. 3 Alcaraz and No. 4 Zverev were making their first appearance in a French Open final. Indeed, this was the first men’s title match at Roland Garros since 2004 without Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.

    Nadal lost to Zverev in the first round two weeks ago; Djokovic, a three-time champion, withdrew before the quarterfinals with a knee injury that required surgery; Federer is retired.

    There were some jitters at the outset. Zverev started the proceedings with a pair of double-faults — walking to the sideline to change rackets after the second, as though the equipment was the culprit — and eventually got broken. Alcaraz lost serve immediately, too, framing a forehand that sent the ball into the stands — which he would do on a handful of occasions — and double-faulting, trying a so-so drop shot that led to an easy winner for Zverev, then missing a backhand.

    Let’s just say they won’t be putting those initial 10 minutes in the Louvre. A lot of the 4-hour, 19-minute match was patchy, littered with unforced errors.

    Alcaraz managed to come out strong in the fourth set, grabbing 16 of the first 21 points to move out to a 4-0 edge, including one brilliant, sliding, down-the-line forehand passing winner that he celebrated by thrusting his right index finger overhead in a “No. 1” sign, then throwing an uppercut while screaming, “Vamos!”

    No, he is not ranked No. 1 at the moment — Jannik Sinner makes his debut at the top spot on Monday — but he has been before and, although a “2” will be beside Alcaraz’s name next week, there is little doubt that he is as good as it gets in men’s tennis right now.

    Like on Sunday, Alcaraz overturned a deficit of two sets to one in the semifinals against Sinner, making him the first man to capture the French Open by doing that since Manolo Santana — also from Spain — pulled off the trick in 1961.

    Returning serves from way back, before moving close to the baseline as points progressed, Alcaraz showed off his full, varied repertoire. The drop shots, the artful half-volleys, the intimidating forehands delivered aggressively and accompanied by a loud, one-syllable grunt that sounded like “Eh!” at times and “Uh!” at others. He finished with 27 forehand winners, 20 more than Zverev.

    In the fifth set, under constant pressure from Alcaraz, Zverev played a poor game that included two miscues plus a double-fault, helping Alcaraz move in front at 2-1. The next game was pivotal and showed the grit and gumption that already have become hallmarks of Alcaraz’s style.

    Zverev — who argued about one line call in that game, saying, “There’s no way!” — would hold a total of four break points. He failed to convert any. Alcaraz didn’t let him. After dismissing those chances, Alcaraz wrapped up the game to lead 3-1 with a drop-shot winner.

    The crowd roared. Alcaraz held his left index finger to his ear while waving his racket and nodding, seeking even more noise. It arrived. He would break again for 5-2, then served it out and dropped onto his back, caking his shirt with clay — just as Nadal often did after championship point.

    Alcaraz first learned to play tennis on the rust-colored slow surface, although he says he prefers hard courts. He grew up running home from school at this time of year to watch on TV as Nadal competed in Paris. Alcaraz says he dreamed back then of adding his own name to the list of Spanish men to win the event, including 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach.

    And those red-and-yellow Spanish flags that became such an annual fixture at Chatrier in the era of Nadal were there again Sunday, this time to support Alcaraz. The difference? The cries that once were for “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” are now for “Car-los! Car-los!”

    [related id=’339921e8-dc2d-4a4a-ac59-0f1313c5e4ff’ align=’center’][/related

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  • Carlos Alcaraz averts an early challenge from Alexander Zverev to return to the US Open semifinals

    Carlos Alcaraz averts an early challenge from Alexander Zverev to return to the US Open semifinals

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    By HOWARD FENDRICH

    Carlos Alcaraz found himself in a hint of a predicament 35 minutes into his U.S. Open quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev on Wednesday night.

    At 3-all in the first set under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Zverev earned the first break points of the match. An opening. An opportunity to gain an early edge against the defending champion. And then — poof! — gone. Alcaraz dismissed those chances to hold, then gained a break himself in the next game by depositing an overhead that bounced into the stands. One more service hold arrived and, just like that, the set belonged to Alcaraz, as did, eventually, a spot in the semifinals.

    The top-seeded Alcaraz pushed aside Zverev 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and moved a step closer to becoming the first man to win consecutive titles at Flushing Meadows since Roger Federer collected five in a row from 2004-08.

    Perhaps the 12th-seeded Zverev, a 26-year-old German who was the runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open, was feeling the after-effects of his 4-hour, 41-minute win over Jannik Sinner in the fourth round two days earlier. Perhaps otherwise, Zverev could have offered more of a challenge to Alcaraz, a 20-year-old from Spain.

    Perhaps. But there have not been many instances in which anyone has managed to slow down Alcaraz in any real way over the past year-plus of Grand Slam action.

    He improved to 24-1 in his past four major tournaments: After the championship in New York 12 months ago, he sat out the Australian Open with a leg injury, made it to the semifinals of the French Open before cramping up in a loss to Novak Djokovic, and added the Wimbledon trophy by beating Djokovic in the final, before the run over these two weeks.

    There could be an Alcaraz vs. Djokovic rematch in Sunday’s final.

    First things first, though. Alcaraz will take on 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the final four on Friday, while 23-time Slam champ Djokovic faces unseeded Ben Shelton, a 20-year-old American who’s never been this far at a major.

    On a sweltering evening, Alcaraz showed off several aspects of his varied game against Zverev.

    The powerful forehands that elicit gasps from the crowd. The delicate drop shots. The hammered returns. The all-court speedy coverage. The willingness to try — and ability to succeed on — shots others wouldn’t even consider.

    “I try to make the people enjoy watching tennis, watching the matches,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview.

    “I’ve been trying to do different shots that probably the crowd are not used to seeing in the matches. … That’s what I’m trying — to put a show on,” said Alcaraz, who is 58-6 with six titles in 2023, both tour highs.

    There’s also a sense of the moment, knowing when there are points, or games, he absolutely needs to have. On Wednesday, he saved all five break points he faced and converted each of the four he earned in Zverev’s service games.

    With Alcaraz serving at 3-3 in the early going, it was Zverev who buckled, missing a backhand on each of his break points.

    Alcaraz wound up gathering 11 of 13 points in a set-closing stretch, in part by picking on Zverev’s second serves.

    It was a perfect return on a 129 mph (208 kph) first serve that led to a cross-court backhand winner by Alcaraz for the break that tilted the second set his way at 2-1. Once that set ended, Zverev left the court for a medical timeout, and Alcaraz whiled away the time by twirling his racket as if it were a baton.

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    Associated Press

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  • Is Novak Djokovic the favorite at Wimbledon? Of course he is

    Is Novak Djokovic the favorite at Wimbledon? Of course he is

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    WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Novak Djokovic looked as if he were a bit surprised by the question.

    And maybe he should have been.

    The query, essentially, was this: Are you the favorite to win the championship at Wimbledon? Now, sure, there is some work to be done to collect that trophy.

    Lyudmyla Kichenok hopes her Wimbledon mixed doubles title gives a boost to her fellow Ukrainians. Kichenok and Mate Pavic of Croatia beat Xu Yifan and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 6-7 (9), 6-3 in the final.

    Ukraine's Elina Svitolina waves to the crowd as she leaves court after losing to Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova in a women's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

    The boisterous backing from the normally genteel crowd at Wimbledon was booming. Even raucous at times.

    Tunisia's Ons Jabeur kicks the ball after failing to chase down a volley by Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in their women's singles semifinal match on day eleven of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

    Ons Jabeur has defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year.

    FILE - Conchita Martinez holds up the trophy after winning the Ladies Singles Final on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, July 2, 1994. Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez has been named tournament director for the Billie Jean King Cup finals. Twelve national teams will play in Seville during the finals from Nov. 7-12. (AP Photo/Dave Caulkin, File)

    Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez has been named tournament director for the Billie Jean King Cup finals.

    First Djokovic, 36, needs to beat No. 8 seed Jannik Sinner, 21, on Friday in what represents the largest age gap between two men’s semifinalists at the All England Club in the professional era, which began in 1968.

    And after that, Djokovic would need to beat the winner of that day’s other match — No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or No. 3 Daniil Medvedev — in the final on Sunday.

    This, then, was Djokovic’s reply: “I mean, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I would consider myself the favorite.”

    What Djokovic might have been forgiven for saying, but was too polite to, was: “Come on, my friend. Is that really what you want to ask? Of course I expect to win the title. And you should expect me to win the title. And everybody should expect me to win the title.”

    Start by looking at his accomplishments relative to the other three men still around at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament:

    —Djokovic has won seven Wimbledon titles. The other three guys have won a total of zero.

    —Djokovic has reached his 12th Wimbledon semifinal. The other three guys have never played in one.

    —Djokovic has won a men’s-record 23 Grand Slam titles, including both so far this year. The other three guys have won a total of two: Medvedev at the 2021 U.S. Open, Alcaraz at the 2022 U.S. Open.

    —Djokovic will be participating in his 46th major semifinal on Friday, equaling Roger Federer’s record for men. The other three guys have raised their combined total to 10: Medvedev is into his sixth, Alcaraz his third, Sinner his first.

    And then there’s also this: Djokovic is a combined 12-5 against the other three guys head-to-head. He leads Sinner 2-0, including a win in last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals. Sinner took the first two sets in that one but blew the huge lead and lost in five.

    After eliminating No. 7 Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals Tuesday, Djokovic was asked during his on-court interview what it feels like to constantly be the player every else is focused on trying to beat.

    “I know they want … to win,” he said. “But it ain’t happening. Still.”

    One thing working in Djokovic’s favor these days, unlike during most of his time on tour, is he no longer needs to deal with Federer, who announced his retirement last year, and currently does not need to worry about Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined since January with a bad hip and indicated that, if he is able to return to competition, 2024 will be his final season.

    Next to try to solve Djokovic, who has won 26 consecutive Grand Slam matches overall and 33 in a row at Wimbledon, will be Sinner, considered one of the leading members of the sport’s next generation.

    Djokovic’s scouting report on Sinner: “He’s so young, so of course it’s expected that he’s going to improve. He is improving, no doubt, I think, with the serve. He’s been serving better. On grass, obviously, (that) makes a difference. He’s a very complete player.”

    Sinner’s description of facing Djokovic: “It is also a little bit mental, no? If you play against Novak, it’s always tough to play … especially (at) Grand Slams.”

    At 20, Alcaraz is even younger than Sinner, against whom he is already developing a rivalry thanks to some stirring matches between them. And Alcaraz has accomplished more so far. But he wants to do much more in the sport.

    He and Medvedev, 27, offer contrasting styles that could produce a scintillating matchup. Still, all eyes on Friday — and, most assume, Sunday, too — will be on Djokovic.

    ___

    AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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