Carlos Alcaraz Continues To Wow The World As The 19 Year Old Tennis Phenom Prevails In A 5 Set Thriller, Coming Back From The Brink of Defeat At The French Open
Adam Pretty. Getty Images.Alcaraz def. Ramos Vinolas 6-1 6-7(7) 5-7 7-6 (2) 6-4
The kid just doesn't stop. You watch Carlos Alcaraz play tennis and your jaw has no choice but to drop to the floor. Today was a different kind of match than the likes we've seen recently against Nadal and Djokovic. Alcaraz entered this 2nd round French Open match as a -3300 favorite against 34 year old Spaniard Albert Ramos Vinolas. On paper you'd think that'd be a cake walk, but when you're on one of the top courts in the world in primetime, you're going to get the best out of your opponent no matter who it is. Two and a half hours into today's match the 19 year old phenom found himself down two sets to one. Even crazier, deep into the fourth set Carlos was on the brink of elimination as Ramos Vinolas served for the match. Ramos Vinolas even had a match point on his serve, but in the biggest of moments Alcaraz locked in and played his absolute best. His best tennis right now is unmatched by anyone in the world. These two points below were incredible.
That overhead looks a helluva lot easier than it is, especially at deuce while fighting for your life in the match. Insane composure.
In the 5th set Ramos Vinolas stormed out in front to go up a break. Carlos naturally kept on coming and got back on serve with this preposterous winner.
Absolute nonsense to win that point. Carlos would break again to take control of the match only to have Ramos Vinolas once again break back. This fucking guy. Credit to the Spaniard though, he played some of the best tennis of his life today. Unfortunately Carlos was just better when it counted the very most. Below is some of the best defending you'll ever see to get the final break.
Multiple times in that rally he should have lost the point, but the kid never gives up. The combination of poise, fearlessness, and talent is completely unfair to everyone else. The look of disbelief from Ramos Vinolas on multiple points in that 5th set is the same look people have had playing Carlos in the last year. You just don't see this kind of stuff, especially from a 19 year old.
It's a real shame 1) the French Open are hawks on social media and take down anything that's not from their accounts. It wouldn't stun me if the tweet above is gone by the time you get to it. Grow the game you fools! 2) it's not easy to watch French Open matches in general. ESPN has the rights to Wimbledon, the Aussie, and the US Open, but the French Open is only available through the tennis channel and Peacock. NBC shows stuff here and there but it's not til later in the day if that at all. I'm a freak and bet a ton of these so I caved and got Tennis Channel Plus for like $100, but for the normal person they should be able to watch a grand slam match of this caliber no problem. Figure it out.
The entire world deserves to watch this kid play. He is a marvel and will make you like the sport. The combo of the crowd and his play turned that 5th set into appointment television whether you are a tennis person or not.
Alcaraz welcomes American Sebastian Korda to his prison in the 3rd round. Korda has the talent to give Carlos fits, but what's troubled the American is finishing big matches on his serve. He'll get there with experience, but I don't know if now is the time.
There's a path for Alcaraz getting either Nadal or Djokovic in the semifinals. Will he have enough gas in the tank to not only get there, but put up a fight? At 19 years old I have a feeling he'll have plenty.
P.S. Totally aware I am a tennis die hard and this may not seem as cool to you guys. I'm just asking, watch the kid play one time and give it a shot. You will be entertained.