(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Carlos Alcaraz played in the third round of the Roland Garros 2023 against Dennis Shapovalov, a great Canadian talent, capable of unleashing incredible performances, but also of sensational setbacks. The Spanish talent liquidated the young Canadian in three sets, demonstrating his superiority.
Not yet reached the end of the first week of the French Open, the Spaniard is by all accounts the main favorite of the tournament, together with Novak Djokovic. From this duel there could be a potential change at the top of the ranking, should the Serbian win his third title in Paris.
Instead, Daniil Medvedev will not have the possibility, at least for now, to return to number one, who surprisingly already went out in the first round against the Brazilian Seyboth Wild. A position, that of the leader of the ranking, that the Murciano conquered by triumphing last year at the US Open, and several ATP Masters 1000 including Indian Wells and Madrid.
“I’m Carlos Alcaraz 100%, not Federer, Nadal or Djokovic”
Inevitably, Alcaraz’s name is continually associated with that of the legends of the sport, including the Big Three who have dominated for the last two decades. Although he feels honored by these comparisons, he prefers to maintain his own identity: “There are people who say I have shots from Rafa, shots from Djokovic, shots from Federer, because in the end it’s what they’ve been used to seeing for 20 years.
But I don’t define myself or try to have anyone’s shots, I simply am 100% Alcaraz and that’s what I like to think I am 100% and not copying any other player’s strokes.” Then he adds a few words about Shapovalov, with whom he had never had a direct confrontation yet: “It’s true that we’ve never played, but we trained in Barcelona.” the 20-year-old won’t study the Canadian, but will focus on his game: “I always try to think more about myself than my opponent and impose my style of play.”
