It’s like he’d by no means gone away. Though he did, because the freshly-minted Grand Slam champion, because the world No. 1, as 2022’s five-time titlist, as tennis’ teenaged breakout face on the very prime of his recreation.
And so when Carlos Alcaraz got here again to the tour after practically 4 injury-hit months throughout the tip of final season to the beginning of this, the likelihood of the Spaniard taking a while to seek out his toes once more would have been excessive.
However, it’s like he’d by no means gone away.
On Sunday, Alcaraz added the ATP Indian Wells Masters to his fast-growing bag of trophies, sweeping apart the lately-indestructible Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-2 within the last. The Spaniard’s blazing run within the Californian desert not solely earned him a second title triumph three tournaments into his harm return but additionally the highest spot on the earth rankings once more displacing Novak Djokovic for whom the US stays out of bounds (extra on {that a} bit later).
Alcaraz dropped at a grinding halt the in-form Russian’s 19-match and three-tournament win streak, shattering the lanky Medvedev’s towering defence and baseline play along with his trademark recreation selection—he received 10 of 13 factors on the internet—and the famend drop shot. All by the 2 weeks, the 19-year-old’s stage and courtroom presence has been unmatched, a throwback to final season when he destroyed just about anybody that got here his manner together with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on consecutive days in Madrid. At Indian Wells, Alcaraz didn’t drop a single set, the primary participant to take action taking part in the six matches of the occasion since Rafael Nadal in 2007.
Talking of Nadal calls for an additional of these parallels within the careers of the 2 Spanish sensations. Rewind to 2005, when a teenaged Nadal captured his first Grand Slam title on the French Open. After successful the Madrid hard-court title in October, Nadal suffered a foot harm that sidelined him for 4 months. Again in motion in February 2006, Nadal took little time in getting again into the groove, successful his second event upon return in Dubai.
Ditto with Alcaraz, who, in truth, received his first. Coming off an stomach harm from the Paris quarter-finals mid-match retirement final October and a separate leg harm that pressured him to skip this Australian Open, Alcaraz went all the best way in Buenos Aires final month for his first title because the 2022 US Open. Nonetheless, he was pulled again by one other hamstring subject in his leg throughout his Rio de Janeiro march to the ultimate, which he misplaced. The teenager subsequently withdrew from Acapulco, solely to come back roaring again in Indian Wells.
“I started the season nicely however struggled rather a lot with accidents,” Alcaraz informed Tennis Channel after beating Medvedev. “Two accidents within the legs in about 4 months, it was powerful to remain sturdy mentally. I missed some tournaments I needed to play, however I labored actually laborious with my group.
“It means rather a lot to get well the No. 1 rating. I am not going to say it was straightforward, however it was simpler as a result of Djokovic was not taking part in.”
Alcaraz was topped No. 1 after successful final yr’s US Open whereas Djokovic was away. The 35-year-old Serb snatched away the tag from the Spanish teen by successful the Australian Open whereas Alcaraz was away. Alcaraz has bought it again by successful the Indian Wells whereas Djokovic, nonetheless unvaccinated and unwelcome within the US, was away. Alcaraz must defend his Miami Masters crown beginning this week to maintain it with him whereas Djokovic continues to be away.
The cat and mouse between the 2 has been occurring for some time. Why, Djokovic and Alcaraz haven’t performed one another since that Madrid Masters semi-final in Could final yr. Alcaraz had crushed the 22-time Grand Slam champion in three tight units a day after ousting Nadal from the quarters. Djokovic hasn’t but had an opportunity to have his say in opposition to the teenager. It could nicely quickly arrive because the European clay-court swing will get kicks off subsequent month.
“Sure, after all,” Alcaraz mentioned when requested if he was trying ahead to taking over Djokovic once more. “I imply, Novak is likely one of the greatest gamers on the earth. That’s apparent. You already know, I’ll say that if you wish to be the very best, it’s important to beat the very best.
“I actually needed to play in opposition to Novak once more. We miss him on tour, and hopefully to have him again very, very quickly. However yeah, after all it could possibly be superb to play in opposition to him once more.”