Alcaras is “ready to win the slam” after a triumph in Madrid

The 19-year-old beat the weary Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1 in an hour and two minutes in Sunday’s final.

It came after Alcaras ’three-set win over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, two pillars of men’s tennis of this century, and it points to a glorious future.

If the present moment seems good, then thoughts are already turning to what remarkable feats Alcaras can achieve in his career.

He is widely considered a multiple slam winner in anticipation, but must first bring down this first major.

The Spanish teenager already won four titles in the tour in 2022, and he said: “Yes, I think I’m ready to win the Grand Slam tournament. I think I’m ready for that.

“That’s a goal for me this year, try to get your first Grand Slam tournament. I’ll work for that and see what happens at Roland Garros.

The French Open will start on May 22, and Alcaraz will miss the Internazionali d’Italia to relax and focus on the tournament in Paris.

He advanced to the third round last year, but the 12-month-old Alcaras was not the winning car he became, a powerful striker for the ball who should not be afraid of anyone on French soil.

Alcaras became the second youngest player to win two Masters 1000 titles, after 18-year-old Nadal in 2005, who added Madrid to his triumph in Miami, and the youngest, also after Nadal, who won five ATP Tour titles.

Alcaras has a great record in title matches, becoming the sixth man in the Open era to win his first five finals at the tour level, and he has played seven straight wins over top 10 opponents.

On Monday, he will jump to three places, to sixth in the ATP rankings, a new career high. However, the teenager says there are many opportunities to develop his game, as shown by the “Big Three”.

“I think things still need to be improved,” he said. “I have always said that everything can be improved. You never reach the limit.

“Look at Rafa, Djokovic, [Roger] Federer, they are all getting better, and they have something to improve. They continue to work and improve.

“This is what I want to do. I want to continue to progress. “

He added, quoted on the official ATP website: “I have really good shots. I’m not saying I don’t have them, but I know I can improve them and they can be even better. “

In Madrid, Alcaras became the youngest player to win three stars of the top five in the same tournament since the launch of the ATP Tour in 1990, bypassing Djokovic, the world’s third racket Beast and Nadal, who ranks fourth in the rankings.

He is leading to wins in the 2022 season, as his 10th consecutive triumph has led him to 28 wins in matches for the campaign, one more than that of Stefanos Tsitsipas.