Carlos Alcaraz has been warned that his generational rivals will not sit and just watch him winning every trophy after his recent dethroning of Novak Djokovic.
The 20-year old’s rivals are gunning to stop him from sealing every tournament he plays after witnessing what he has done with game’s elder statesman Novak in Wimbledon. The World #1 became the first man in 10 years to come Serb on SW19 Center Court.
Felix Auger-Aliassime has admitted that the Spaniard’s heroics in the five set victory have motivated him and the other younger lot to do better to usurp him in their upcoming battles.
The always smiling two-time Slam Champion has continued to impress all and sundry and showed everyone why he has been branded as the ultimate generation talent in the new crop of young bright stars. It came less than a year after his maiden slam win at New York major where he also became the youngest ever ATP World #1.
The Murcia native alongside Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev completes a trio born after 1990 to win a major and is the only man born in the 2000s to do so. But his fellow young players will definitely be ignited by his recent crowning at The Championships.
While speaking on behalf of the other players the young talented Canadian revealed that they did not want their pear to be left cleaning up every silverware he sets his sights on. Commenting on Alcaraz’s success at the All England Club, the Felix told Journal de Montreal: “It awakens my competitive side.
“I also allow myself to speak for the other players [on the circuit]. We don’t want to let him win every tournament. It motivates me to do the right things,” said Auger-Aliassime.
The Canadian has his career best ranking in 2022 when he clinched four ATP titles and reached a career-high ranking of ATP #6. This enabled him to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals but from there the things have taken a strange turn with the world No. 12 only winning 52% of his matches.
The 22-year old also reflected on the injured knee he has been coping with which he claims is fine now and “things are much better.”
He continued, “I went to Wimbledon thinking it was going to hold up and I’d be okay. Unfortunately, I felt pain towards the middle of the match. I did what I had to do to heal myself. Right now, my knee is fine. I’m back on the field and I’m ready to fight with the best.”
“When everything is OK physically, I am convinced that I can attack the next tournaments with the same ambitions that I have always had. My standards are not lower.”
Many in the tennis world touted the Canadian star to become what Alcaraz has, when he became the first player born in 2000’s to get off the mark on ATP ranking charts but while he was eliminated by a lucky loser in the R1 tie at SW19, 2003 breed Alcaraz cleared his path to eventually defeat 7-time Wimbledon Champion Novak Djokovic in “The Final for Ages”.
The 22-year old will be aiming to regain his mojo and unleash that competitive spirit when he returns to the ATP tour to play Citi Open in Washington, D.C., before heading back home for Rogers Cup in Toronto.
Head-to-Head: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Carlos Alcaraz
Auger-Aliassime made headlines when he became the youngest (14 years old) player in ATP Challenger Tour history to win a main draw match on the second-tier circuit but now the Alcaraz has taken over the stars leaving everyone behind him the big titles.
Though out of the two young guns, Alcaraz does have registered more success in his career so far, but the Canadian holds a winning head-to-head record against the Spaniard, winning first three of their four clashes – including two yesteryear which came after Alcaraz sealed US major.
Auger-Aliassime vs. Alcaraz: 3-1
Auger-Aliassime beat Alcaraz, 6-3 3-1 (retired) (US Open 2021)
Auger-Aliassime beat Alcaraz, 6(3)-7 6-4 6-2 (Davis Cup Finals 2022)
Auger-Aliassime beat Alcaraz, 6-3 6-2 (Basel 2022)
Alcaraz beat Auger-Aliassime, 6-4 6-4 (Indian Wells 2023)