Carlos is taking control of the game and bending tennis to his will

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Beyond all the accolades and the attention, Alcaraz is forcing the best players in the world into a devil’s choice — to change how they have trained to play for years and adapt to him, or to likely spend most of the next decade or more smothered by an athlete who plays on every inch of his side of the net and tries to hit balls to every inch of his opponent’s.

It wasn’t unusual for this to happen for years, but for roughly the last 15 years, Andy Murray turned the sport into an exclusive scrum of skill and wit. Each took a turn or two redrawing the tennis court to suit his style. First came Federer’s supreme and unmatched shotmaking, which ran into Nadal’s power and competitive fire, which ran into Djokovic’s relentless defense and angular creativity, which ran into Murray’s magical touch and movement.

Alcaraz knows that better than anyone. He has said his goal, along with winning as often as possible, is to entertain and thrill the spectators who pack stadiums for his matches, which have also sent television ratings soaring. Winning efficiently is not enough. He wants to win spectacularly, showcasing his power and speed and touch from everywhere on the court.

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“I mean, I love that about you, but sometimes I wish that you’d maybe play a few points just like this, you know?” The man waved his hand without purpose.

It was a great preparation for the U.S. Open because he won’t be immune to the disease even though he’s up to date with the vaccine.

“We’re starting to see new faces at the Grand Slams and Masters. It’s kind of the last step to dethrone players like Djokovic and Nadal — and it’s coming,” said Felix Auger-Aliassime, a 23-year-old Canadian who was a U.S. Open semifinalist two years ago. “Carlos probably is beginning a bit of a switch of the guard. But Djokovic probably hasn’t said his last word.”

Perhaps. Over the past three seasons there were 10 first- time Masters 1000 winners on the men’s side, a group that includes Alcaraz, along with another 20-year-old, Holger Rune, and a young man named Jannik Sinner.

“For those of you who have long wondered about the future of tennis as we transition out of a golden age where you have had some of the best men and women of all-time competing against each other simultaneously,” said Lew Sheer, the CEO and executive director of the U.S. Tennis Association, the national federation that runs the U.S. Open, “we saw 2022 as a year of emerging stars.”

” game is in a little different place,” said the American who reached the U.S. Open semifinals in 2022 and just started ranking in the top 10. A different dynamic. I’m happy to be in this era, for sure.”

Based on the reactions on social media, it seems everyone in the world of tennis was riveted by Novak Djokovic’s victory over Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the last tournament for both ahead of the U.S. Open.

It took 312 hours and three different surfaces for the two top ranked men’s tennis players to play their third match of the year, and set the stage for what will be expected.

Last weekend’s contest at the hard-court Cincinnati Masters, in which Djokovic, who is 36, saved a championship point in the second set and Alcaraz, who is 20, saved four in the third before succumbing 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4), also served to symbolize the state of change the sport currently finds itself in, a year removed from Serena Williams’ farewell match in New York and Roger Federer’s retirement announcement soon thereafter.

Alcaraz is The Next Big Thing, the winner of the U.S. Open who grabbed his second Grand Slam title last month at Wimbledon. There are only three members of The Big Three competing today, including one who is the owner of 23 major trophies, Novak Haramck.

Four of the top five women’s tennis players are young, including the No. 1 ranked Iga Swiatek, who is 22.

“There is a change,” said Europe’s top ranked women’s tennis player, who made the semifinals in New York a year ago. “There are young players coming, like Alcaraz and Iga.”