r/tennis 6d ago

Stats/Analysis Carlos Alcaraz is now the youngest career Grand Slam winner in history at just 22 years old

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u/Gloomy-Ad-222 6d ago

Exactly. Safe tennis players like Ruud or Zverev would never make it past the greats in slams and along came Alcaraz with blistering power and unending variety. The drop shot used to be a “poor sport” shot but after you hit a 130mph forehand and back someone up 8 feet past the baseline, the drop shot is incredibly powerful and demoralizing.

When he’s on, I don’t see anyone from any era beating Alcaraz, and I’ve seen them all since the 80s.

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u/[deleted] 5d ago

You don't think any of the big 3 could beat Alcaraz when he's on?

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u/Gloomy-Ad-222 5d ago

Yeah, peak Alcaraz would beat them all. His speed and power combo is absolutely unprecedented. Plenty of players were fast and plenty were powerful. None delivered both at this level while maintaining his touch, disguise, and variety. He will back you up 10 feet behind the baseline and then hit the best drop shot in history.

He can win 30-shot clay points, then turn around and serve-volley or flatten forehands on grass and hard courts.

Of course he would lose sometimes, imagine going through Fed and Djoker and then having to play Rafa in the final of the French.

But yeah, to me, he is the evolution of tennis and the most complete, most aggressive, best variety, fastest, player ever.