Alcaraz: A true champion is forged under pressure

Spanish star Alcaraz is known for his explosive high-pressure moments, and he undoubtedly showed this trait vividly in the men's singles final of the French Open that ended in the early hours of this morning, defeating world No. 1 Sinner for the first time in his career.

Alcaraz

"To be honest, I prefer to win in straight sets, I don't have to hide that," Alcaraz said with a smile in his post-match press conference, having saved three championship points in the fourth set, "but when things are not good, you have to keep fighting." This is a Grand Slam final, and there is no room for exhaustion, let alone a reason to give up. You have to keep fighting and waiting for the time to regain control of the situation. "

"True champions are often born in the process of dealing with stress and dilemma. Those legends have been doing this all their careers. I'm learning how to stay calm and intimidated in this high-pressure environment. "

When asked if the 4-6/6-7(4)/6-4/7-6(3)/7-6(10-2) victory was comparable to the 1980 Borg vs. McEnroe Wimbledon classic, or the 2008 Nadal vs. Federer Wimbledon showdown, the five-time Grand Slam winner did not want to be compared to his predecessors: "It would be a great honour for me for the audience to juxtapose our game with those legends. But those matchups are monuments in the history of tennis and even in the history of sports, and I can't say for sure that our game is at the same level. It's a joy enough to have your name written into Grand Slam history. As for the comparison, leave it to the fans to evaluate. "

The most memorable turning point of the victory came at 5-3 serve in the fourth set, when Alcaraz showed a big heart when he faced three championship points at 0/40. "Anything is possible until the end of the tournament," he explains, "but there is no shortage of precedents in the history of Grand Slam finals to save match points. I want to be a part of it. I always believed in myself, even when I was facing match point, I only wanted to catch up with one point. This belief eventually brought about a turnaround. "

This is the first time that the two new generation leaders Alcaraz and Sinner have met in a Grand Slam final in a total of 12 meetings. This fierce battle in Paris, which took 5 hours and 29 minutes, undoubtedly whetted the audience's appetite for more peak showdowns.

Alcaraz is looking forward to it: "Every encounter with Sinner is meaningful. It's the first time we've met in a Grand Slam final, but hopefully not the last. We always bring out the best in each other. This high-level confrontation is essential for the sport of tennis. If you want to win a Grand Slam, you have to beat the best opponents. And beating them in the final will make the victory even more precious. ”

(Compiled by Faye Wong, Photo/Visual China)