Carlos Alcaraz is the king of tennis once again after his stunning US Open final win against Jannik Sinner, but former world No 1 Andy Roddick has warned the Spaniard that he needs to be wary of what comes next after the huge high of his victory at Flushing Meadows.
Alcaraz halted the Sinner juggernaut with his unexpectedly convincing 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over his great rival, as he gained quick revenge from what was a relatively comfortable win for Sinner against the Spaniard in the Wimbledon final in July.
The duo have now won each of the last eight Grand Slam titles between them, with the score tied at 4-4 in major wins over the course of the last two years.
Yet any suggestion that Sinner was pulling clear of Alcaraz at the top of men’s tennis was banished as the younger member of this compelling battle roared back in stunning fashion to win his sixth Grand Slam title.
Now, former US Open champion Roddick has given his verdict on the final, as he started by suggesting he was surprised by the manner of Alcaraz’s win and began to sum up what it means for the immediate future of his battles with Sinner.
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“I didn’t see that (coming), I didn’t see one-way traffic,” said Roddick, as he reflected on the comprehensive nature of Alcaraz’s win on the latest edition of the Served podcast.
“The margin for error with these two when they play each other is so razor thin. You are taking half chances. I know I have to go if I see Jannik with any defence, even if it is a little reckless.
“Sinner was hitting the ball harder than maybe anyone I’ve ever seen in that last game. Carlos just stayed there and got back to deuce and hit a monster serve on match point.
“This is not stopping here. These two are going to go back a forward and the coaches involved behind the scenes make it even more fascinating.”
Roddick went on to suggest Alcaraz now needs to be cautious as he deals with the inevitable come down of such a significant victory, with his experience from winning the US Open in 2003 giving him a glimpse into what it feels like to reach the pinnacle in tennis.
“I did a lot of PR the day after I won the US Open,” added Roddick. “Carlos Alcaraz doesn’t need to do anything. He doesn’t need to be more famous. Everyone loves him. He doesn’t need to train the media narrative. The charisma just jumps out of his body.
“You can get through the ten hour day (of publicity). It’s going to be the fallout over the next three months.
“For Carlos, it has always looked different at the end of the year. The indoor circuit, he hasn’t played well at the World Tour finals.
“There’s no major for four months, you are picking up scraps until the end of the year. My crash was securing No 1 (ranking) and I was toast. I felt like I was a zombie. So the next three months are the concern for Carlos Alcaraz.”