'I have to keep going': Alcaraz plotting golden path to greatness

LONDON, July 14 (Reuters): There was a moment of euphoria after Carlos Alcaraz finished off Novak Djokovic to retain his Wimbledon title on Sunday, the usual pumped fists and group hugs with his entourage in the players' box.

But an hour or so later the Spaniard was already back down on planet earth, insisting his journey is only just beginning.

"I've seen and I've heard all the statistics that I am the youngest to win at Roland Garros and Wimbledon the same year," the 21-year-old told reporters after his 6-2 6-2 7-6(4) demolition of 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.

"I honestly try not to think about it too much. Obviously it's a really great start of my career but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path.

"At the end of my career, I want to sit at the same table as the big guys. That's my main goal. That's my dream. It doesn't matter if I already won four Grand Slams at the age of 21."

Alcaraz is indeed the youngest player to complete the French Open-Wimbledon double in the same year during the professional era and emulated Roger Federer in winning his first four Grand Slam finals, although the Swiss triumphed in his first seven.

On Sunday he also matched Bjorn Borg, Boris Becker and Mats Wilander in claiming four Grand Slam titles before turning 22 and is trending well ahead of Djokovic, Federer and compatriot RafaNadal in his rate of accumulation of majors.

Djokovic had won only one before celebrating his 22nd birthday, Nadal three and Federer one. That trio won 24, 22 and 20 majors respectively in an unprecedented golden era for men's tennis.

Alcaraz's four Grand Slam titles, the 2022 US Open, last year's Wimbledon when he also beat Djokovic, and this year's French Open-Wimbledon double, required just 69 matches at the slams.

Federer needed 79 matches, Nadal 81 and Djokovic 134 before notching their fourth Grand Slam titles.

With Italy's world number one Jannik Sinner, winner of this year's Australian Open, vying with Alcaraz for top-dog status, the figureheads of a new generation are now established.

Whether or not either can go on to challenge the numbers of the "Big Three" is another question entirely.

"I think being there with Jannik, in the top of the ranking, winning the Grand Slams, I think it is good for tennis to have new faces winning the big things and fighting for the big tournaments," Alcaraz said.

"I'm really glad to have him there. As I said many times, we have a really good rivalry, as young players that are coming up, fighting for these things as well. I think it's great for the sport, for tennis and I think for the players, as well."

While there are pitfalls ahead, 2022 Wimbledon runner-up and BBC pundit Nick Kyrgios said Sunday's one-sided final felt like the true changing of the guard.

"Alcaraz will carry our sport a long way. He will be the face of this sport alongside Sinner," the Australian said.

"The biggest enemy he'll have is his body. How healthy can he stay? I think he'll have upwards of 15 slams for sure."

However, Alcaraz, as well as being 21 months younger, has a better record at the Slams than Sinner, who won his maiden Slam in January.

Alcaraz enjoys a 5-4 head-to-head advantage over Sinner, including a five-set triumph in the semi-finals at Roland Garros this year. "What he's doing, having won the title at Roland Garros, flipping the switch to prepare on grass and reach the final, is scandalous," said Ferrero.

Alcaraz, who hails from the small Murcian town of El Palmar in Spain's south-east, hit the giant-killing jackpot at Madrid in 2022 when he became the only man to defeat both Nadal and Djokovic at the same clay-court event.