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Carlos Alcaraz, the four-time Grand Slam champion, is displaying Rafael Nadal’s “killer instinct” as he prepares to defend his French Open title at Roland Garros, starting Sunday against Kei Nishikori.
At 18, Alcaraz faced his idol Nadal in Madrid, where he admitted, “I was so scared,” overwhelmed by Nadal’s presence and the atmosphere, resulting in a 6-1, 6-2 defeat.
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Despite the loss, Nadal’s former coach Carlos Moyá noted Alcaraz’s potential, saying, “You could see that he was special,” impressed by his drop shots, volleys, and running ability.
Now 22, Alcaraz has won 15 of his 16 clay-court matches this season, including titles at the Monte-Carlo Masters and Italian Open, where he defeated top seed Jannik Sinner.
Moyá, a former French Open champion, believes Alcaraz’s game suits clay best, stating, “He has all the shots to do well on clay,” making him the favorite to win the French Open.
Seeded second behind Sinner, who returns from a doping suspension, Alcaraz is poised to face his rival in a potential final, as they are on opposite sides of the draw.
Sinner, the world number one, takes an underdog stance after proving his fitness in the Italian Open final, though an injury update raises concerns.
Alexander Zverev, a French Open finalist last year and a consistent semi-finalist, remains a contender despite inconsistent preparation in Hamburg, Madrid, and Rome.
Jack Draper, ranked fifth globally, has shown promise on clay, reaching the Madrid Open final and competing well against Alcaraz in Rome, aiming to challenge the top two.
Casper Ruud, a two-time Roland Garros finalist, won the Madrid Open, breaking his Masters 1000 title drought, and is a clay specialist who could upset Alcaraz or Sinner.
Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion with a 112-4 record on Paris clay, will be honored at the tournament’s start, marking the end of his career.
Moyá, who coached Nadal to eight Grand Slam titles, finds it bittersweet, saying, “It’s going to be a strange feeling for me, but we’re going to enjoy it.”
Moyá, now cap tunneling the Legends Team Cup featuring Dominic Thiem, Diego Schwartzman, and Fernando Verdasco, notes the competitive drive persists, saying, “This is what we have in our blood – try to win whatever it takes.”
Alcaraz’s “never-say-die attitude,” akin to Nadal’s, positions him to build his own legacy at Roland Garros, as Moyá observes, “This killer instinct, they both have it.”
As Nadal watches from the stands, Alcaraz’s title defense signals a new era in tennis, with the young Spaniard ready to forge his own fortress on the Paris clay.
