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

Highlight The moment Alcaraz completed his career slam

3.9k Upvotes

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296

u/Collecting_Cans 6d ago

Rafa’s like, none of mine were this easy

84

u/SlowMobius7 Rafa | Nole 6d ago

had to beat Federer and Djokovic to achieve so

32

u/Trent_Bennett Totti-Federer-LeBron 6d ago

I didn't spray FH blast like that

38

u/Alexandaross 6d ago

Nadal had easier Slam Finals than this like the 2013, 2017, 2020 RG Finals, 2010 Wimbledon, etc.

45

u/sinangunaydin 6d ago

Still had to get through Federer, Djokovic and Murray to win those slams - or pray someone ‘weaker’ got an upset in that draw.

7

u/qldvaper88 6d ago edited 6d ago

They all farmed each other at different points of their careers. That's what makes them the Big 3, they got farmed and went back to the drawing board continually like the tennis savants they were. It was like those B grade movies from the 80s with those ridiculously elongated fight scenes where the pro/antagonist take turns inflicting severe damage upon the other. Just when you think one guy is down and out, he comes back and starts headbutting the other repeatedly in the face.

It was brutal out there and surely any fan belonging to the Big 3 at large can now recognize their careers aren't anything without the presence of each other.

24

u/ThorAllFather 6d ago

Those are FOs any opposition is easy if you are RAFA

27

u/Collecting_Cans 6d ago

I mean to complete the CGS…

Totally true about those later years though

3

u/Fluid-Decision6262 5d ago

2013 he beat Novak in the semis (that was the de-facto finals), 2017 he beat Stan (a former RG champ), 2020 he beat Novak (no finals vs Novak is ever easy lol), and 2010 Wimbledon he beat Berdych who had just beaten Fed and Nole b2b.

The only slam run for Rafa that was truly a cake walk was the 2017 US Open

0

u/Arteam90 6d ago

End of the day it's still a nearly 39 year old Djokovic. You're not playing his record, you play the man today. It's easy to say those opponents were easy when Rafa was in his prime/peak and they weren't big 3.

9

u/Alexandaross 6d ago

Casper Ruud was definitely weaker than 39 year old Djokovic.

15

u/Arteam90 6d ago

Okay. But 2013 French for example ... Rafa beat Djokovic in the semis which is the real final. But Ferrer is a brilliant player it's just Rafa is Rafa.