Carlos Alcaraz and the changing of the guards

After the fascinating Wimbledon final that we witnessed a couple of days ago, it would be hard to deny that tennis is more alive than ever. It was indeed a clash of titans that transcends the particular game itself. Perhaps with time, that match could become comparable to the legendary 2008 final between Nadal and Federer (or the Rumble in the Jungle, going to a different sport!!). It is one of those encounters that will be remembered for a very long time, becoming relevant to all sorts of competitive endeavors, sports related or not.

Tennis fans have been concerned for quite some time about what would happen after the Big Three retire. With the great Roger already out, the day seems closer than ever. And yet, after last Sunday, the future of tennis looks magnificent.?

Lots of hopes were put in the new generation, although for a time younger players looked as if they couldn’t crack the code to win a major. Even more so when they had to play against one of the three legends in a final. After Daniil Medvedev finally managed to pull that off against Djockovic in the US Open Final of 2021, the others did not keep it up.

What the 20 year old Alcaraz did is nothing short of a display of greatness, and one could argue that it marks the start of a new era. What some might not realize is that this epic win is not only going to have a big impact on the career of Carlos Alcaraz. This victory is likely to propel the new generation of great tennis players to a whole new world: one where they can potentially beat one of legends in a major’s final.

It sounds obvious now, but it wasn’t. Interestingly, even though the younger generation could do well against Nadal or Djockovic in other important tournaments, the majors were always a different story. There’s been plenty of well informed opinions about the reasons behind that, from mental toughness, to the natural predisposition of great champions to keep winning when it matters. The bottom line is: the inability of younger players to win those tournaments was a fact.

Carlos Alcaraz won a hard final against one of the best players in history that was playing at his best. That is a fact as well. This win is a very symbolic one, and is probably going to open the doors for the next generation, besides Alcaraz himself. There is a beauty in this victory, beyond the mere bewilderment of witnessing a 20 year old rising up to the occasion and claiming the Wimbledon trophy. The parallel here brings to mind those brave warriors, that went into unknown territory by themselves, paving the way for others to follow them later on.

Far be it from me to say that it will become likely to win a final against one of the legends: it will not. However, there is undoubtedly a psychological barrier that has fallen, thanks to Alcaraz. I believe it will give birth to a new beautiful and exciting era in tennis, with an even more competitive landscape. As some would say, it might be time to get ready for the changing of the guards.