“Not far away from winning a Grand Slam” Carlos Alcaraz exits the 2022 French Open with his ‘head very high’
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Carlos Alcaraz
World No. 6 Carlos Alcaraz lost in an epic 4-set battle on the Phillipe-Chatrier to World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals of the 2022 French Open. The German star won the match 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7) after an intense and nail-biting match of 3 hours and 18 minutes in a high-level performance from both.
Zverev was dominant from the start of the game and it made life difficult for Carlos who found his way back towards the end of the second set. It however became too late as Zverev had taken big strides in going ahead in the match and despite Alcaraz winning the third set and defending one match point, the German managed to take the win and enter the semi-finals for the second year running.
“I would say I finished the match playing better. I leave the court, leave the tournament with the head very high. I fought until the last second of the match, and I’m proud of it. I have to take the lesson today. In this level, the quarter-final of a Grand Slam, you are playing against the best players in the world, so you have to start the match better than I did. I have to improve for the next Grand Slam or next matches.
“I would say I’m not far away to reach a semi-final or be able to win a Grand Slam. I would say I have the level, I have the confidence to win a Grand Slam or pass through to the semi-final next time. This match is not going to be tough for me, I’m not going to say I’m disappointed for this match. I could say, I was close to a good match, close to a fifth set, and in the fifth set, anything could happen,” said Alcaraz during his press conference.
Carlos Alcaraz thanks the crowd for constant support
Alcaraz became a big fan favourite after his exploits in the last few months of the 2021 season, especially during the 2021 US Open and the 2021 NextGen Finals and a strong start to the season this year increased his fan following. Even during the match against Sascha, the teenager had more backing from the crowd as compared to his senior, Zverev.
“I’m just gonna try to take the positive things of the match, and of course the bad things that I did, to improve for the next matches. I enjoyed a lot, even though I lost. Playing in front of such a great crowd, playing in these kinds of tournaments, on this kind of court, is amazing for me, I train for these moments. I fight with the best player in the world, fight for a ticket to the final of a Grand Slam for me.
“I couldn’t ask for a better crowd in here, in Paris supporting me, until the last ball supporting me. That’s why I’m playing tennis, to keep dreaming,” concluded Alcaraz as he ends a very successful outing so far on the clay courts with a 20-2 record for the season on the surface.
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Sarthak Shitole
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