In the video, a commentator is heard drawing parallels between Alcaraz’s commanding presence on the court and the batting mastery of Virat Kohli. The comparison, far from hyperbolic, now appears even more apt following Alcaraz’s breathtaking victory on Sunday
Carlos Alcaraz, Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)
An old video of Carlos Alcaraz from the 2023 Barcelona Open has gone viral once again, this time after the Spanish sensation triumphed over Italy’s Jannik Sinner in a historic French Open final. In the video, a commentator is heard drawing parallels between Alcaraz’s commanding presence on the court and the batting mastery of Virat Kohli.
The comparison, far from hyperbolic, now appears even more apt following Alcaraz’s breathtaking victory on Sunday. With the same finesse, mental fortitude, and tactical brilliance often attributed to Kohli, the 22-year-old mounted a monumental comeback to defeat world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a five-set thriller that lasted five hours and 29 minutes, the longest final in Roland Garros history.
European commentators about Carlos Alcaraz: "It's like watching Virat Kohli in cricket or Michael Jordan in Basketball"
— Shekhar (@Shekhar499) July 17, 2023
King Kohli is the face of World Cricket 🇮🇳#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/apqLQZGKIB
Alcaraz prevailed with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2), clinching his fifth Grand Slam title and solidifying his status as one of the sport’s most fearless competitors. He remains undefeated in major finals, having now won all five he has contested.
What made the feat even more extraordinary was the context in which it unfolded. Alcaraz was staring down defeat, trailing two sets to none and 3-5 in the fourth set, with Sinner holding three match points. Yet, the Spaniard dug deep, exhibiting remarkable poise to not only survive but turn the match around. In doing so, he snapped Sinner’s 20-match winning streak in Grand Slam events.
Alcaraz became the first male player since Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2019 to win a Grand Slam final after saving match points. In the Open era, only one other man has achieved such a turnaround at Roland Garros, Gaston Gaudio in 2004.
For Sinner, it was a heart-wrenching end to a run that could have completed a hat-trick of Grand Slam titles, following his 2023 US Open win and consecutive Australian Open triumphs. The final also marked a significant milestone in tennis history, it was the first major final between two players born in the 2000s.
Despite his dominance in recent months, Sinner continues to struggle against Alcaraz. Sunday’s result marked his fifth straight defeat to the Spaniard, bringing their career head-to-head to 8-4 in Alcaraz’s favour. Their rivalry had also seen a high-stakes clash earlier this year in Rome, where Alcaraz bested Sinner in the final shortly after the Italian returned from a three-month doping suspension.
(With AFP inputs)
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