Djokovic absent, Nadal injured, is it a chance for Alcaraz to win Grand Slam?
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz is the third seed at this year's US Open, and the 19-year-old Spaniard will have a shot at his first Grand Slam title.
Last year, Daniil Medvedev won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, and the Russian is defending it this year, but teenage star from Spain, Carlos Alcaraz, will do his best to prevent that from happening.
The 19-year-old Spaniard showed his qualities this year, and he managed to climb all the way to fourth place in the ATP Rankings after winning titles in Miami, Barcelona, and Madrid.
Alcaraz is one of the best players of the season and the ATP Race rankings confirm it. Only Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas earned more points than the youngster, and already after the 2022 US Open, he can become the ATP World No. 1 player.
The Spaniard was considered to be one of the favorites also at the Roland Garros, especially thanks to the hype he gained at events in Barcelona and Madrid, where he triumphed back-to-back.
However, he lost already in the quarter-finals to Alexander Zverev and only watched his compatriot Rafael Nadal lift his 14th title in the French capital.
At the 2022 US Open, the situation is different. Novak Djokovic doesn’t play at the tournament, Rafael Nadal is not 100% fit and Alexander Zverev is also absent from the event.
Looking at the draw, Alcaraz could be considered the biggest favorite of the bottom part, and his first match against a higher-ranked player could come in the semi-finals against Nadal.
If he succeeds, he will most probably meet current World No. 1, Daniil Medvedev, in the final, and so the last two matches could be crucial for the Spaniard.
Before reaching the semi-finals and possibly playing his childhood idol, the teenager will play enough matches to build his confidence. He didn’t lack that even before the event started, as he didn’t hesitate when asked about who would win the tournament.
If he beats all of his opponents without any major troubles as he experienced against Albert Ramos-Vinolas at the Roland Garros, the 19-years-old Spaniard can even be considered as a favorite against Nadal in the semi-finals, and it will most certainly be the biggest chance so far for Alcaraz to win his first Grand Slam title.
