Last week saw Carlos Alcaraz become a first-time champion at Roland Garros, whilst Iga Swiatek claimed her fourth title, and third in a row.
The two enjoyed very contrasting runs to the grand showcase, with the former having to battle out in back-to-back five-set thrillers in both the semis and the final.
Meanwhile, the women’s world number one dropped just one set and administered three bagels throughout the tournament.
She was unstoppable, whilst he showcased indomitable spirit and desire to overcome a forearm injury to win the title.
Both are rightly earning acclaim for their respective performances though, both dominant and dogged, with Chris Evert the latest to send a message to the two.
Chris Evert sends message to Roland Garros winners
The former world number one was actually present to award Swiątek with her trophy on Saturday, inviting Martina Navratilova up with her to laud the victor.
It was an emotional, poignant moment between two of the sport’s greatest-ever figures, and they in turn handed the trophy to the woman who could one day boast the necessary accolades to rival their legacies.
However, it was what Evert said after the matches that has truly caught the eye, taking to X just yesterday morning to simply write: ‘Congrats to @iga_swiatek and @carlosalcaraz. They’ve brought a new and higher level to the game. Forecasting double digits in Slams. They will be around for a long time!’
It seems with this prediction she too is expecting both Swiatek and Alcaraz to enjoy careers set to rival the very best that tennis has produced.
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek could make history together
At the age of 21, Alcaraz already has three Grand Slam titles to his name, and has won a major title on every surface.
To compare that with Rafael Nadal, at that age, the legendary 38-year-old had also won three Grand Slams, but all had come at the French Open.
The versatility of this current superstar is immeasurable, and John McEnroe actually thinks that Alcaraz is better than Roger Federer was at his age too.
Swiatek, meanwhile, is another worth comparing to Nadal purely due to her proficiency on clay.
As aforementioned, Saturday’s title marked her fourth at Roland Garros, and she is just 23 years old too. Only the Spaniard and Bjorn Borg had previously won that many titles at this event before the age of 24, and it has led many to dub her the Queen of Clay.
The dominance the Polish powerhouse is showing on clay, and the ability Alcaraz has shown to star across all surfaces at an even younger age, suggests that by the end of their respective careers, this generation could have bore witness to two truly elite Hall of Famers.
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