T
he professional journey to Wimbledon glory for Carlos Alcaraz started in Rio de Janeiro in the early hours of February 18, 2020. Three weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic would send most of the world into lockdown, the Spanish wild card was embroiled in a gruelling clay-court battle on his ATP tour debut at the age of 16.
It was an early sign of the remarkable things to come from this promising youngster. After being pegged back to one set all by Albert Ramos-Vinolas, a seasoned compatriot then ranked No 41 in the world, most inexperienced players of Alcaraz’s age would have been overwhelmed by the challenge ahead in a final set. Instead, he dug in to prevail in the deciding tie-break of a match that
Enjoy unlimited digital access. £1 for 6 months.
Already a subscriber? Log in