Carlos Alcaraz will go into this year’s US Open brimming with confidence, buoyed by the successes enjoyed at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Even his silver medal at the Olympics is to be celebrated, with there arguably being no player on tour having enjoyed a better season than him ahead of this latest Grand Slam.
It is for that reason that Andy Roddick is once again tipping him to enjoy a fine run in New York, saying something that he felt needed to be said before the event begins.
Andy Roddick praises Carlos Alcaraz ahead of US Open
Speaking on his pre-tournament iteration of the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the former world number one was unsurprisingly full of praise for Carlos Alcaraz, the Spaniard who has already eclipsed his and many other revered tennis figures’ careers.
A four-time Grand Slam champion, this 21-year-old is tipped to shatter every record in his path, yet ahead of the US Open, Roddick claimed he had something he needed to get off his chest about him.
He then stated: ‘I feel the need to say this every time we talk about Carlos Alcaraz. Let’s get rid of the big three who put up video game numbers and roll it back one generation.
‘Carlos Alcaraz currently has four grand slams. Names like Edberg, Becker – six. McEnroe, seven. Agassi, eight. That’s the company he is quickly going towards, the absolute icons of our sport. Sir Andy Murray has three. Alcaraz has four.
‘Let’s not wait until we want people to retire to really start digging in and appreciating everything they are about. This kid is dynamite, he’s my favourite player to watch, he is great for the game, he is smiling every time he is not fresh off the Olympics at Cincinnati breaking stuff!’
Carlos Alcaraz really struggled at the Cincinnati Open
Whilst Alcaraz will naturally go into the US Open as one of the favourites, deservedly so given his form throughout 2024, there is actually a very real chance that the youngster could struggle with the conditions.
After all, Alcaraz complained about the Cincinnati Open courts, stating: ‘I remember yesterday I stepped on the court and warmed up, the five minutes, and we couldn’t put two balls in. It was incredibly different. It was insane. I don’t know why that’s different courts, different kind of speed the surfaces.’
Reports have since suggested that things in New York are expected to follow suit, which might worry the 2022 champion of this event.
However, to completely discount him could be foolish, especially given the fact that, when on form, he has looked unbeatable at times in 2024.
Alcaraz needs to adapt fast to stand a chance of winning this upcoming tournament, but should it click, there are very few who can compete with him.
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