TEEN ALCARAZ LOOKS REAL DEAL AS NEXT GREAT

“HE’S not the next Nadal, he’s not the next Federer or Djokovic, he’ the one and only Alcaraz.”

So said a commentator mid the third round match in which the seventh seed Matteo Berrettini found himself stretched to the limit, against the aggressive 18-year-old Spaniard, in a battle of the ferocious forehands. Unlike the young Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz approaches the net relentlessly.

Mid a formidable run of form, Berrettini had to withdraw from his 2021 fourth round match against Stefanos Tsitsipas with an abdominal injury. It seemed history was to repeat itself: ‘The Italian Stallion’ stumbled on the run, in the second game, of the fifth and found himself flat on his back staring both Alcaraz and possible defeat in the face from a two-set ascendancy.

Fortunately after a medical time out, Berrettini served his way out of trouble to win the tiebreak, after which he acknowledged his luck in escaping Alcaraz, if not Alcatraz.

However the new kid on the block has announced himself as “the next big thing”, while yet another young prospect, unseeded American Amanda Anisimova, unseated defending champion Naomi Osaka in the ultimate blockbuster in the women’s draw.

It is rare to see the courage and composure Anisimova displayed as she faced off two match points at 5-4 in the third set to take it to a tiebreak, where she dominated, with her first serve and fearless aggression.

Meanwhile the teenager upon whom all expectation was heaped, Britain’s Emma Raducanu, was also dispatched in her debut attempt at this title, by World No 98, Danika Kovinic.

Raducanu is not the only champion to fall by the wayside in week one: Former Wimbledon title holder, Garbine Muguruza, is also flying home.

Amongst the host of top seeds still in this competition, Alexander Zverev, Tsitsipas, Nadal and Daniil Medvedev, one cannot ignore the fact that the one man who gave the latter a run for his money, incorrigible local, Nick Kyrgios, has been the biggest drawcard in the absence of World No 1 Novak Djokovic.

Love him or hate him, Kyrgios’ devil may care and bravado style of tennis are compelling to watch and the stadiums are at full capacity when he is in action.

Against Liam Brody in his first match, the Australian couldn’t put a foot wrong. Every trick shot, every overhead smash and tweener found its mark, much to the delight of his raucous fans.

His next match against Medvedev got off to an equally good start. He lost a first set tiebreak and kept up the pressure on the rock solid Russian, taking the third set and forcing a fourth to the amazement of John Fitzgerald in the commentary box.

“Understand that this guy has literally not set foot on a tennis court for over six months. He hadn’t played any warm-up tournaments, he hadn’t played the ATP Cup, he had Covid over a week ago and here he is holding his own, against the World No 2, who hasn’t been off a tennis court for six months – it’s unbelievable.”

Kyrgios eventually ran out of steam against the consummate professional and was beaten.

But he then put in another show-stopping performance, with fellow Australian, Thanasi Kokkinakis, in the Kia Arena, a venue with no allocated seating, allowing for uninhibited crowd participation.

The “Special Ks” as the Kyrgios and Kokkinakis doubles duo are dubbed, thrashed top seeded Croatians, Nikola Metic and Mate Pavic in straight sets.

If only this super talented Australian, who says what he thinks and does the unthinkable, had the discipline and dedication to apply himself to his career, he may have won a couple of Majors.

Instead he will fade into the sidelines to star in a television series – a serious loss to the world of tennis, as a major entertainer, if not as a Major champion.

Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration as joint 20 singles title holders, Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will verify.

At least Alcaraz and Anisimova have grasped the concept.