Alcaraz, mixed doubles at the US Open: “I’m playing alongside the incomparable Serena Williams. What can I do? Enjoy and do what she tells me”
Carlos Alcaraz accumulated another unparalleled experience at the age of 23, alongside a tennis legend who is 21 older, the American Serena Williamsat 44 returning to play in the US Open, from which he left in 2022 with the conviction “that he would not be here again,” he confessed this Tuesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Thirty Grand Slam individual titles gathered in the same couple. The Murcian’s seven, an impressive figure at her young age, and the North American’s twenty-three, who also adds fourteen doubles and two in the mixed.
A moment to remember in tennis. Shocking even for the protagonists themselves. This is what he recognized Carlos Alcaraz. “I was very nervous. Playing next to Serena. It’s a competition, with the court full of people. I was away for almost five months. I had even forgotten what it feels like to enter the court again. It was a couple of games, she made it very easy for me,” said the El Palmar tennis player.
More than four months out due to the wrist injury, since mid-April. Suddenly, a legend at his side. “Everyone could see how nervous I was, my first point was a double fault,” he noted.
With a smile, the same one he wore Serena Williams watching one of his favorite tennis players. He has never spared compliments to the Murcian’s magical tennis.
“I’m playing alongside the one and only Serena Williams. What else can I do? Enjoy! Trying to do what he tells me,” Carlos Alcaraz pointed out in the middle of the round of 16 match. The interviewer, the former German tennis player Andrea Petkovic, addressed the American. “Does he listen to you, Serena?”, to which she replied “Yes he does.” And the laughter of both of them intensified.
They missed elite tennis. There is no individual pressure, it is played with two first sets in the best of four games and a super tiebreak in the third to break the tie. There is a golden point with equals, to break equality, but it is still an official tournament. They both knew they were the center of the world in those moments. They formed an iconic image.
They won a game, Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool by 5-3 and 4-1, which was a good dose of adrenaline as they came back from 1-3 down and two set points, subsequently signing a 7-0 partial. They revealed their quality.
Then, with less euphoria and more head, they lost to the Swiss Belinda Bencic and the Italian Flavio Cobolli by 5-4 (4) and 4-1. Serena and Carlos had already fulfilled their wish, they saved themselves from having to return to the track the next day. Already Wednesday, with Alcaraz approaching the individual debut, which will take place between Sunday, August 30 and Wednesday, September 1. The draw, which will be held on Thursday, will help find out more in that regard.
It was a sweet KO, as both showed with a video while they lowered their heart rate in the locker room while doing a stationary bike. “I feel good. Even losing, playing with her, I feel incredible,” said Alcaraz. “We won! We won one, we lost one,” Serena said elated. He qualified the Spanish. “We tied.” “Yes, we tied,” she agreed. And more laughter.
Before facing the mixed doubles, in the morning local time in New York Carlos Alcaraz had done his usual training session on the track. A couple of hours with the French Arthur Filsrecent champion of the Cincinnati Masters 1000 ATP. Wow, almost four hours on the court. Gaining physical background.
“Play Carlos and Serena impresses You have to forget that it’s them because if you don’t you feel the pressure. “I’m very tired, I need a beer,” he said. Flavio Cobollia friend since childhood of Alcaraz, they met in international grassroots tournaments.
