Having watched it as a boy, Alcaraz has “special feeling” at Roland-Garros

Clay was the only surface on which Carlos Alcaraz had never advanced to a Grand Slam final.

Alcaraz, who was one match away from reaching the Roland-Garros final in 2023, completed the trio of slam-final surfaces by beating Jannik Sinner 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the semis on Friday afternoon. The Spaniard is already a champion at the US Open (2022) and Wimbledon (2023). With one more win he could become a major champion on all three different surfaces.

And it would come at a tournament that has always had a special place in his heart.

when I finish school I’m running to my home just to put the TV on and watch the matches here in the French Open.

Carlos Alcaraz

“I have a special feeling to this tournament,” Alcaraz said during his post-match press conference, “because I remember when I finish school I’m running to my home just to put the TV on and watch the matches here in the French Open. I watched a lot of matches. 

“Of course Rafa Nadal (was) dominating this tournament for 14, 15 years. It’s something unbelievable. I wanted to put my name on that list of the Spanish players who won this tournament. Not only Rafa. (Juan Carlos) Ferrero, (Carlos) Moya, (Albert) Costa, a lot of Spanish players, legends from our sport that won this tournament. I really want to put my name on that list, as well.”

ALCARAZ ONE WIN FROM THIRD MAJOR TITLE

The 21-year-old will have a chance to join that list on Sunday, when he faces either Alexander Zverev or Casper Ruud.

Win or lose, Alcaraz is now the youngest man to reach a Grand Slam final on three different surfaces. He was asked about that accomplishment on Friday.

“I always wanted to be one of the best players in the world,” the No 3 seed stated. “If I want to be one of the best players in the world, I have to be a good player in every surface — like, Roger (Federer) did, Novak (Djokovic), Rafa, (and Andy) Murray. The best players in the world had success on every surface.

“So I consider myself a player who adapts very well his style on every surface. I grew up playing on clay but I feel more comfortable playing on hard court, for example. I think my game suits very well to the clay, to clay season, to the clay court, as well. So I just wanted to be a good player on every surface.”

Good? More like great — and even greater if he triumphs on Sunday.

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