5 Grand Slams at 22 years, 1 month, 3 days, just like Nadal: Alcaraz calls it destiny
Carlos Alcaraz called it destiny as he went level with Rafael Nadal's tally of grand slam wins by beating Jannik Sinner in a thrilling French Open final on Sunday, June 8. Alcaraz won his fifth grand slam on Sunday after coming back to beat Sinner in a titanic battle and equalled the tally of his idol Nadal at the age of 22 days, 1 month and 3 days. Nadal beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2008 to win his fifth grand slam at the same age.advertisementSpeaking after the win, Alcaraz said, as quoted by Reuters, that it was a stat he would keep with him forever. The young Spaniard hailed his legendary compatriot as his idol and inspiration before saying it is a huge honour for him to share a record with the record-time French Open winner.'The coincidence of winning my fifth Grand Slam at the same age as Rafa Nadal, I'm going to say that's destiny," Alcaraz said of equalling Nadal's tally of five major titles at the same stage of their careers.
"It is a stat that I'm going to keep for me forever, winning the fifth Grand Slam at the same time as Rafa, my idol, my inspiration. It's a huge honour."Alcaraz was two sets down in the final and conceded three championship points to Sinner in the third set before making a stunning comeback to win the final 4–6, 6–7 (4), 6-4, 7–6 (3), 7–6 (10-2) in a match that went on for 5 hours and 29 minutes. The Spaniard credited the crowd at Roland Garros for his win on the day.advertisement'Without them, it would have been impossible to come back,' he said. 'At the start of the third set, everything was going his way. I had to delete those thoughts from my mind and fight.''I don't know how I saved that game'Speaking about the turning point in the match for him, Alcaraz said that it was when he was 6-5 in the fifth set with everything going Sinner's way at that time and still force the match into a super tie-breaker.The match points were not great points. I saved match points, it's great but the points were not good," said Alcaraz."At 6-5 in the fifth at 15-30 or 30-all, advantage for me, 40-all. Those points I remember pretty clear, and honestly I still don't know how I did it."I mean, it was balls on the line, slicing the line. He was dominating that game. Honestly I still don't know how I saved that game."Alcaraz will now turn his attention to defending his crown at Wimbledon.Must Watch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
Wimbledon 2025: Prize money pool hits record high; All you need to know
Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Wimbledon Final (Image via X/@Wimbledon) Wimbledon has announced a record-breaking prize money pool of 53.5 million pounds ($73 million) for 2025, with singles champions set to receive three million pounds ($4 million) each, representing a 7% increase from last year and double the amount from a decade ago. The winners' prize money shows an 11.1% increase compared to the previous year, responding to growing player demands for larger shares of Grand Slam profits. First-round losers in singles matches will receive 66,000 pounds, marking a 10% year-on-year increase. "We're immensely proud of the fact that if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year. And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players," said All England chair Deborah Jevans. "The focus on just the prize money at four events, the Grand Slams, does not get to the heart of what the challenge is for tennis," Jevans explained. Poll Do you believe that the lack of an offseason is a major issue for tennis players? Yes, it affects their performance No, they can manage "The challenge with tennis is the fact that the players don't have an offseason which they want, they have increasing injuries that they're speaking about, and we've always said that we as Wimbledon are willing to engage and talk with the tours to try and find solutions, and that door remains open." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 에스테틱원장이 말하는 "얼굴기미" 해결법 (+실제후기) 두아이연구원 Wimbledon 2025 is set to commence on June 30 (Image via X) The total prize money represents an increase of 3.5 million pounds ($6.8 million) from the previous year. The tournament, scheduled to run from June 30 to July 13, will introduce a significant change in officiating. Bombay Sport Exchange Ep. 6: Harish Thawani on cricket's TV market and the watershed moments For the first time in the tournament's history, electronic line-calling will replace traditional line judges at the oldest Grand Slam event.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Spaun grabs US Open lead with McIlroy, Woodland in the hunt
American J.J. Spaun seized an early one-stroke lead in Thursday's first round of the US Open with Rory McIlroy and other major winners trying to chase him down at Oakmont. Spaun was on four-under after nine holes with compatriot Gary Woodland, the 2019 US Open winner, one back after reeling off three birdies in four holes. Second-ranked McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, was in a pack on two-under with South Korean Kim Si-woo, Dane Niklas Norgaard and American Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion. Spaun sank a 20-footer for birdie at 10 to start, dropped his third shot inside three feet at the par-five 12th to set up a birdie, then birdied the par-three 16th from just outside five feet to grab the solo lead at three-under. At 17, he escaped the rough to sink an 11-foot birdie putt to reach four-under. Woodland sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the second, a 25-footer to birdie the par-five fourth and a birdie putt at the fifth from just inside four feet to pull one adrift of Spaun. McIlroy birdied the par-four 11th on a 27-foot putt and reached the green in two at the par-five 12th to set up an eight-foot birdie putt. The five-time major winner from Northern Ireland could become only the seventh player to win the Masters and US Open in the same year. Kim birdied the 11th from just inside four feet and the par-three 13th from just inside eight feet. Clark had back-to-back birdies as well on putts of just inside seven feet at the third and 16 feet at the par-five fourth, where he blasted out of a fairway bunker. Norgaard, making his US Open debut, birdied the 11th and par-three 13th on putts after about 16 feet each. Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, last year's Masters runner-up in his major debut, birdied 10 from six feet and 11 from just inside three feet but stumbled to bogey the par-five 12th after finding rough and a greenside bunker. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau was on one-under through seven. He sent his tee shot on the first hole left into fan-trampled rough, landed his approach 18 feet from the hole, ran his birdie putt nine feet past the hole and missed a comeback par putt. But DeChambeau birdied the fifth and seventh from just outside six feet to move under par. American Maxwell Moldovan made the first US Open eagle at the par-four first, holing out from the fairway from 189 yards, then looking to the heavens as he smiled, but followed with back-to-back bogeys and a double bogey at the par-three sixth. World number one Scottie Scheffler launches his bid for back-to-back major titles in the afternoon alongside US countryman Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner ranked fourth in the world, and Norway's 14th-ranked Viktor Hovland. The world's top golfers face an ultimate challenge at Oakmont, where dense rough, sloped fast greens and tricky bunkers have DeChambeau and Scheffler among many calling it the hardest course they might ever play. "This is probably the toughest golf course in the world right now," DeChambeau said. Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included Paris Olympic gold, has won three of his past four starts. After capturing last month's PGA Championship for his third major crown, Scheffler is trying to become the first man to win consecutive majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015 by taking his first US Open title. Other afternoon starters include two-time major winners Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka. Oakmont has 168 bunkers scattered across its 7,372 yards, including Big Mouth at the 17th green and the Church Pews between the third and fourth fairways. A pedestrian bridge is in place for players and fans to cross over the Pennsylvania Turnpike in order to reach the second through eighth holes. js/ea
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Wimbledon prize pot increases as players push for greater profit share
Wimbledon prize money will increase by seven percent to a record pot of £53.5 million for this year's championships as pressure grows from players for a greater slice of Grand Slam profits. The winners of the men's and women's singles titles will each receive £3 million, an increase of more than 11 per cent on 2024, while a main draw spot is worth a minimum of £66,000, up 10 percent. The All England Club's announcement comes after growing player demands for a bigger share of revenue from the four majors. In April, 20 leading players sent a letter to the heads of the Grand Slams calling for greater contributions and discussions were held during the French Open. All England Club chairwoman Debbie Jevans said at Wimbledon's pre-tournament media briefing on Thursday the club was "absolutely committed to continuing our longstanding commitment to player compensation". "We're immensely proud of the fact that if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and seven per cent this year," she said. "We have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players. Of course we will always listen and discuss with them but the focus on just the prize money at four events, the Grand Slams, does not get to the heart of what the challenge is with tennis. "The challenge with tennis is the fact that the players don't have an off-season, which they want, they have increasing injuries that they're speaking about and we've always said that we as Wimbledon are willing to engage and talk with the tours to try and find solutions and that door remains open. "As yet, there hasn't been any proposal to us as to how the tour is able to change its structure. "There's a bigger picture here but, as a tennis player, they're always going to, I think, ask for more money." In a major change at Wimbledon this year, line judges are being replaced by a live electronic calling system. The All England club follows the Australian Open and the US Open in implementing the change, though the French Open still uses human officials. Around 80 former officials will be employed this year as match assistants, with two on each court offering support to the umpire, while they will also provide back-up should the electronic system fail. Wimbledon runs from June 30 to July 13, with Carlos Alcaraz and Barbora Krejcikova the defending champions. jw/iwd
