Showman Alcaraz finds his own shade of genius

The world No.2 is carving out a special legacy and he is doing it his own way. Roland Garros provided the latest example

- Ashish Magotra

NEW DELHI: Just a few days ago, the French Open and tennis fans all over the world were transported back to the era of the Big Four; an era when Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray ruled the courts with charm, composure and class.

Of the four, only Djokovic is still going strong. The rest have bid adieu to the sport. But we remember their every move mainly because of their consistency. Year after year, week after week, they found a way to excel. The key to that was knowing how to conserve their energy in the first week of the Grand Slam—they would all invariably engage cruise mode. Rarely, if ever, did they falter.

Now, if anyone harbours dreams of matching their feats, one can't help but compare. That is where Carlos Alcaraz time and again shows that he is very much his own man.

The No.2 seed beat the dangerous Fabian Marozsan 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier in the second round on Wednesday but the manner of his victory was an expression of perhaps his youth.