{"id":78284,"date":"2022-05-23T14:15:39","date_gmt":"2022-05-23T14:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=78284"},"modified":"2022-05-23T14:15:39","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T14:15:39","slug":"dream-chaser-alcaraz-sweeps-into-french-open-second-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=78284","title":{"rendered":"‘Dream chaser’ Alcaraz sweeps into French Open second round"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> Teenage Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz said the best part about being touted as the future of Grand Slam tennis was that he is realising a “dream that is not for everyone”.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old defeated Argentine lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the second round of the French Open on Sunday.<\/p>\n

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Bidding to become just the eighth teenager to capture a major men's title, he is tipped to end the dominance of 13-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal and two-time winner Novak Djokovic.<\/p>\n

“I would say the best thing about being Carlos right now is that I'm reaching my dream,” said Alcaraz, who reached the third round in Paris a year ago on his main-draw debut as a qualifier.<\/p>\n

“I'm really happy with playing tennis, playing these kind of tournaments, these kind of stadium, is not for everyone, so I would say that is the best thing.”<\/p>\n

The sixth seed will play compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas for a place in the last 32.<\/p>\n

“I have been watching this tournament many years. It's a unique place to play and I have been dreaming of playing here,” said Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

He broke Londero in the 10th game of a tight opening set, then ran away with the match by breaking five more times over the next two sets on Court Philippe Chatrier.<\/p>\n

Alcaraz, who was ranked 97 this time last year, has won a tour-leading four titles this season, three coming on clay in Rio, Barcelona and Madrid where he defeated Nadal, Djokovic and Alexander Zverev to lift the trophy.<\/p>\n

Despite his rapid ascent, Alcaraz is doing his best to focus on the basics and put all the extra attention he is receiving to one side.<\/p>\n

“I am trying to be focused just on the tournaments, on the matches,” he said.<\/p>\n

“(With) everyone talking about you, just focus on what I have to improve, what I have to do on the matches, what I have to do in the every day to be ready in the tournament.”<\/p>\n

Alcaraz became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist of the Open era last September, and is the only player to knock Nadal and Djokovic out of the same clay tournament.<\/p>\n

He was just two years old when Nadal won his first Roland Garros title in 2005, and cited the approach of his idol as one he intends to follow.<\/p>\n

“I always say that you have to improve every day if you are the best player in the world, which I'm not in my case,” said Alcaraz.<\/p>\n

“But for example, Rafa says every day that he always improves every day. I would say I have to improve everything a little bit.<\/p>\n

“You can improve everything every day, you know. And I would say everything. I have to improve everything.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: Teenage Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz said the best part about being touted as the future of Grand Slam tennis was that he is realising a “dream that is not for everyone”. The 19-year-old defeated Argentine lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the second round of the French Open […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":78285,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n