Alcaraz is New York, and New York is Alcaraz. “On the court, I always try to do different things, give a show, make people have fun watching my tennis. And here in America, they love the show, enjoy, see things not so common. Here I have had great moments with the public and I think we have a good connection. I have a great time with them and I think they are watching my tennis as well”, replies the Murcian after resolving the premiere against Dominik Koepfer, thanks to the German’s withdrawal with 6-2 and 3-2 on the scoreboard.
The Spaniard, quoted this morning (1.00, Movistar) with Lloyd Harris in the second round, wears sneakers –“sneakers”, he specifies – which in his day was worn by John McEnroe and he expresses himself in English with a tendency to use the American accent and fillers. “You know, you know”, he usually repeats in the answers. The hours of tennis and NBA videos consumed practically daily are noticeable, and their increasingly close Anglo-Saxon link. He shares a friendship with basketball player Jimmy Butler and enjoys evenings like nowhere else in New York, his favorite setting.
“It’s great to be back here, a la Arthur Ashe. This stand gives me a lot. But not only me, but tennis. The night session of the US Open is the best of our sport. I hope to feel the same energy and the same love as last year”, transmits the defender of the title, who these days wears the daring clothing designed for him by Nike, the brand that provides him with all the material. Not just him. His brothers and many of his younger relatives dress from top to bottom with caps, high socks and baggy clothes that do not lack logos of Michael Jordan or the Chicago Bulls.
“I started following the NBA not long ago, but obviously I watch a lot of videos. Everyone knows Michael and what he did for the game. It was amazing. I am a great fan of him, and also of his clothes”, he admitted a few days ago while pointing to the flying silhouette of the legend. “I’m not going to say if it’s the GOAT or not (Great Of All Timesthe best of all time), but there is no doubt that he is one of them”, extended the tennis player, meticulously profiled by the multinational that represents him since 2012, the North American IMG, so that his effervescence has a full impact. in the US market.
The idiomatic clause
Without going any further, one of the clauses that Nike imposed in the contract it signed with the player in 2019 – which lasts until 2025 – is that the alliance requires him to express himself fluently in English, and the evolution is evident. Alcaraz is increasingly fluent in the language and in just one year he has made a great leap when it comes to delivering the message. He supervises every word he says and every step taken by his agent, Albert Molina, who prioritizes quality and quantity when selecting or establishing any commercial relationship. In the same way, the means chosen to grant interviews are also clearly focused on the Anglo-Saxon market.
Beyond the official commitments that the athlete must attend to on the circuit, Men’s Health, Vogue o The Wall Street Journal have been some of the few publications that have had the opportunity to chat with him, enthusiastic these days between the neon lights of Times Square and the bustle of central New York, which he finds in Carlitos the american his ultimate weakness. It became clear in the reunion on Tuesday between him and the public, that in the absence of his own stars – no man has won the tournament since 2003, then Andy Roddick – and symbols such as Serena Williams, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal, he endorses the flight of the Murcian
“This boy is gigantic, electric”, McEnroe himself recently praised him, who even went further: “He is the most complete 20-year-old player I have ever seen, and that includes Novak, Roger and Rafa”. Roddick agrees: “He really has no weaknesses.” And he also enjoys another of the great totems of men’s tennis in the United States, a certain Andre Agassi: “Crossing the finish line in one of the four pillars of our sport requires something unique within oneself. It’s a pleasure to see you.”
FEMALE REPRESENTATION FALLS
AC | NY
The elimination of the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas against the Swiss Dominic Stricker (7-5, 6-7(2), 6-7(5), 7-6(6) and 6-3) was another good news for Novak Djokovic, who He resolved emphatically against Bernabé Zapata (6-4, 6-1 and 6-1). His layout is clear, given that the Hellene’s fall – surpassed by the 128th in the world, defeated in 10 of his last 17 matches – was preceded in the initial round by Holger Rune and Felix Auger-Aliassime, two other adversaries of theorist weight.
It was not a good day for Spanish tennis, which lost all the female representation —Sara Sorribes (5-7, 6-3 and 6-4 for Wang), Rebeka Masarova (7-6(0) and 6-2 with Karolina Schmiedlova)— and also the trick of Roberto Carballés (6-2, 4-6, 6-3 and 7-(4) against Aslan Karatsev). Alejandro Davidovich managed to advance, superior to Juan Manuel Cerúndolo (6-1, 6-4 and 6-3).
The Danish Caroline Wozniacki, who has reappeared three years after her retirement, beat Petra Kvitova (7-5 and 7-6(5) and at the end of the day one of the finalists of the last edition, Casper Ruud, said goodbye. surpassed by Zhang Zhizhen (6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6 and 6-2).
You can follow EL PAÍS Sports on Facebook y Twitterpoint here to receive our weekly newsletter.
Subscribe to continue reading
Read without limits
