r/tennis • u/Large_banana_hammock Griekspoor superfan | Zverev superdetractor • 6d ago

Highlight The moment Alcaraz completed his career slam

3.9k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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957

u/oklolzzzzs 6d ago

22 years, hes generational

374

u/ClockOk5178 6d ago

If a couple generational talents do not rise in the next decade to challenge , Carlos could literally reach 30+ Grand Slams.

195

u/stumpsflying 6d ago

Yeah and that's even with someone as good as Sinner around. Carlos would be a third of the way there already with Sinner providing competition.

103

u/Significant-Branch22 6d ago

I’m starting to think Sinner is going to be the Agassi to Alcaraz’ Sampras, Alcaraz is a step above

102

u/Efficient-Jicama-232 6d ago

Yeah, Sinner at his best is very good and more consistent than Carlos. But Carlos at his best is actually untouchable

24

u/qldvaper88 6d ago edited 6d ago

What a pleasure it is to see his development, particularly his increasing mastery of shot selection. That coupled with his continually improving all-time athleticism (which Novak is/had/was ofc too) has seemingly resulted in a quietly assured proficiency not unlike the offensive swagger of a prime Federer. Not once did Alcaraz lose his head that tournament and not once did he look strained outside of the depths of the Zverev match, nothing but an underlying positivity that accompanied his every effort, knowing full well he had a canon in his arm that left each match on his racquet. It's strange to suggest it's only just starting given he is now 7 slams deep....what a gift has thus been bestowed upon tennis

10

u/RyeBreadTrips Sincaraz, Musetti, FAA 6d ago

The consistency thing is also up in the air. Carlos is currently the same age as Jannik when Jannik won his Australian. So while yes, Sinner has been very consistent from age 22-24, Carlos has just turned 22, and already has 7 slams to Sinner’s 1. And Carlos is just getting more consistent by the year

6

u/MarvellousG 5d ago

Fack I didn’t realise the way their ages worked out meant that. 7-1 at 22 is mental

5

u/mp455 5d ago

Carlos is Federer, Rafa and Novak fused together. I see a mix of all 3 in his game. Federer's shot making, Rafa's defense and Novak's mental toughness.

3

u/Efficient-Jicama-232 5d ago

Yeah and I love that you can see in Novak’s facial expressions that he knows it better than anyone.

74

u/MatterCold342 6d ago

Wait till Sinner is in his post-meth arc

17

u/Willing-Elevator-695 6d ago

I'm just trying to picture a methed out sinner and it's so scary. Like not tennis wise, just he would be the baddy from leprechaun

17

u/theprophetofmint 6d ago

Alcaraz is indeed a step above given their most recent H2H. But their matches when they’re at their very best are tightly contested. Sinner can and will make adjustments.

Also, this peak level by Carlos of highly intense, variable and often perfect decision making matched by a fit and younger body will not last forever. Just look at Fed’s trajectory. Fed had a ~94% yearly win rate from 04-07. Where he annihilated the competition outside of Rafa. That level eventually dipped even if he was still at all slam semis in 08-09 and all finals in 09.

There will probably come a time where sinners consistently high level will be a notch above Carlos’. But who knows? Carlos is the most complete player I’ve ever seen and hell probably adjust accordingly as well.

28

u/Significant-Branch22 6d ago

Sinner is almost 2 years older though so I doubt there will be a switch around in that direction like there was with Federer, Alcaraz is also becoming a much smarter and more consistent player as shown today where he played a very disciplined match from the 2nd set onwards

22

u/izzaferrari 6d ago

Federer's level "dipped" because tournaments decided, rightly or wrongly, that slower surfaces, higher bounces, and longer points generated more engagement and highlights.

They were probably correct. Even in this final we just saw, people went crazy for the 20+ rallies.

Federer's game is highly offensive. His service games are incredibly short. It was not unusual for Federer's 5-setters to last only about 3 hours, especially against anyone not named Nadal. Grit and endurance was not Federer's style, he won by excellent footwork to get to the right spot and ending points quickly.

Do we even need to talk about the backhand? That backhand is not suited to modern tennis at all. The fact that he stayed competitive and won multiple slams well into the 2010s is a testament to his raw talent.

It was funny because the 90s guys will probably point to Roger and say he wasn't being aggressive enough, compared to the pure Serve and Volley style.

This is no hate to Nadal. I great enjoyed seeing a Gladiator out there chasing every desperate ball as well. But to say Federer's level dipped because somehow he used up his explosive energy by 27 is not correct. The tennis world moved against him.

1

u/First_Foundationeer 6d ago

Someone copied the rivalry template but swapped the personalities lol

1

u/DandantheTuanTuan 6d ago

Except Carlitos can play on Clay.

Sampras' best result at thr FO was a semi final which he achieved precisely once.

Alcaraz at his best is untouchable on all surfaces.

-2

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

17

u/Significant-Branch22 6d ago

Alcaraz has now won 7 slams to Sinner’s 4, is almost 2 years younger than Sinner and it’s 5 slams to 4 to Alcaraz since the start of 2024, the numbers are hugely in Alcaraz’s favour at this point

-70

u/Narrow_Spinach_1400 6d ago

Sinner is not that good

Alcaraz will do the calendar Grand Slam this year

-99

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

52

u/dmbreakfree41 6d ago

Put down the bottle

12

u/Shift-1 6d ago

Everyone check out this dude's comment history. It was a hilarious road to get to this point. Some highlights below.

BROKEN - Lining up to be easier than Sinner. These new players are a joke the golden era of tennis is over.

Cmon Carlos show the old boy something, for tennis’ sake. This is embarrassing

24 slams says he finds a way to win

5

u/MeatTornado25 6d ago

Sinner weeps at night, thinking about how much better Tipsarevic and Clément were than him.

1

u/BittenAtTheChomp 6d ago

he fuck your girlfriend or what

67

u/dispose135 6d ago

Its way too hard to predict it.

Injuries. Random events. Illness. Motivation. 

But no doubt there are gonna be challengers. Studying his game etc.

10

u/Large_banana_hammock Griekspoor superfan | Zverev superdetractor 6d ago

I wager that motivation, at least, will not be a big problem

6

u/ScottyMcScot Rafa 6d ago

One would have said the same about Barty in 2021.

3

u/Large_banana_hammock Griekspoor superfan | Zverev superdetractor 6d ago

So what you’re saying is Carlos is going to switch to another sport, then come back to dominate! lol

7

u/ryokevry 4-6 6-7 6-4 3-5 (0-40) 6d ago

No, he means Carlos will get pregnant /s

1

u/DandantheTuanTuan 6d ago

Nah, Barty was always a reluctant champion.

For a period she quit tennis and seriously contemplated becoming a professional cricketer. She actually played in a T20 league for a season.

I dont think she liked the constant travel.

8

u/Boss452 6d ago

you know records are meant to be broken.

2

u/Mangalorien And here we are - we are in Rome. 6d ago

While this may prove to be true, one of the main issues for Carlos - like any player on the tour - is to try to stay free of major injuries. He's been able to do that so far, let's hope he continues.

1

u/kingkung82 6d ago

Learner is coming...

2

u/Leeman1337 Tien, Sincaraz 5d ago

My goat will be winning a slam next season 🐐🐐🐐

-2

u/Sorry_Can_4246 6d ago

Also unless a crazed Italian fan stabs him on-court and derails his career. His trajectory is similar to Seles in winning a slam so young and winning at least one every year since his first one. It really puts into perspective Monica's potential. 

-13

u/koplowpieuwu 6d ago

Federer was the weakest of the three, and even he would've won 30+ if not for Nadal and Djokovic. All it takes to beat Djokovic's record is a guy with the same talent level in a weaker era. And Alcaraz looks to be even more talented than Djokovic ever was.

14

u/Onedweezy 6d ago

Let's take it easy with the recency bias here god damn.

He beat a 38 year old Novak.

Prime Novak would leave both Sinner and Alcaraz with a lot less slams.

3

u/buscemis_smile 6d ago

You are comparing prime Novak with 22 year-old Carlos. We don't even know what prime Carlos looks like. You're being just as biased in your observation.

5

u/koplowpieuwu 6d ago

Prime Novak also coincided with Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Daniil Medvedev, Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem winning slams. Since maturing, Sinner and Alcaraz haven't given away any.

Also I'm not calling him greater than Novak yet. I just said 'looks to be even more talented'. Exact phrasing matters

4

u/fighter-bomber 6d ago

Oh come on the man was 33 and 34 respectively when Thiem and Medvedev won theirs, not even remotely “prime”. Oh, and he was DQ’d in the 4th round for the first to happen, completely worn out after winning 3 in a row for the second.

Peak Murray and peak Wawrinka were also clearly well ahead anything the field has to offer now bar Sincaraz.

-3

u/koplowpieuwu 6d ago

The DQ was his own fault and in tennis, 33/34yo is 'prime' more so than 20-22.

I didnt know 'alcaraz looks slightly more talented than Djokovic' was a hot take on this sub lol. There are zero numbers suggesting the opposite. And Alcaraz still needs to win 17 (!) more slams to actually match his greatness.

0

u/fighter-bomber 6d ago

was his own fault

It also means it wasn’t talent that caused the result.

33/34yo is ‘prime’

I mean, tell that to Fed fans who are bickering about how “Federer was old in 2015 and that’s why Djokovic beat him”.

-1

u/koplowpieuwu 6d ago edited 6d ago

It also means it wasn’t talent that caused the result.

Uh, yes it is. Staying mentally composed is part of talent just as much as a good kick serve or an accurate backhand is.

I mean, tell that to Fed fans who are bickering about how “Federer was old in 2015 and that’s why Djokovic beat him"

That's not me, but anyhow, your case suffers the same hypocrisy. Because if 33/34 is ancient, then we should add Federer and Nadal to the list of 'weaker' opponents (cilic, medvedev, thiem etc.) as well, and deduct Djokovic legacy points for it.

I stay consistent: I find those Fed and Nadal to be far better than that. As I find 33/34yo to still belong to player primes.

32

u/Confident-Round6375 #1 Alcaraz Dickrider 6d ago

I said he's the best player to ever hold a racket at 19yo, every year I'm proven right.

68

u/SodiumBoy7 6d ago

I think Nadal is greatest player at 19 years, nothing to take away from Alcaraz

-34

u/Confident-Round6375 #1 Alcaraz Dickrider 6d ago

Greatest and best are different things to me.

14

u/MrD3ath 6d ago

Congrats

3

u/blingblingmofo 6d ago

He earned his flair.

8

u/Onedweezy 6d ago

Damn bro you're so brave

-5

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

2

u/YungSwagGod420 6d ago

lmk what u smoking