Roland Garros 2023: I would bet on Carlos Alcaraz | Sports

In 2003, just one day before flying to Paris to participate in his first Roland Garros, Rafael suffered a silly fall, a childish thing, when a teammate from the Manacor Tennis Club lifted the net for him, he tripped and broke his arm. The following year, and at that time we still had no news of his left foot injury, he broke it in Estoril and again saw his participation in the great French contest denied. As is known, he was finally able to debut not only in 2005, but…

In 2003, just one day before flying to Paris to participate in his first Roland Garros, Rafael suffered a silly fall, a childish thing, when a teammate from the Manacor Tennis Club lifted the net for him, he tripped and broke his arm. The following year, and at that time we still had no news of his left foot injury, he broke it in Estoril and again saw his participation in the great French contest denied. As is well known, he was finally not only able to debut in 2005, but also won the first of the fourteen trophies he has lifted at Chatrier.

This is the only big tournament that Rafael has not missed in the last twenty years.

I used to go to the club taking a long walk to enjoy the incomparable beauty of this city in the different routes I took. I also took the opportunity to think about various aspects of our training or upcoming matches. Today I have left the central hotel where I am staying in Paris, I have walked to the Bois de Boulogne and I have immersed myself in thoughts, this time clearly retrospective.

I have recalled with understandable emotion many moments lived here. Not so much the finals that Rafael won, but rather the daily moments that led us to them: the nerves that cornered us and the illusion that subdued them, the difficulty of the challenges and the determination to find solutions to overcome them, the course of the rounds and the imminence of meetings that raised the speculation to the maximum, and also the tension.

When I finally crossed the gate to enter the Stade Roland Garros, I felt the disappointment that my nephew was not able to recover well and participate another year here. My feeling is not very pleasant, as can be understood, although I dominate it under the reflection that his successes here and the great affection and recognition that he has gradually enjoyed on French soil cannot arouse any feeling that eclipses professional satisfaction and personal gratitude.

I’m also helped by the attitude I saw in himself a few days ago, just before I flew here. Not only did he express to me his determination to achieve his physical recovery, but also the illusion of having the best possible year next 2024; that is to say, nothing to comply with the file, but to compete as he has always done, with a fighting mentality.

Despite Rafael’s absence, Roland Garros begins today in all its splendor and with the promise that fans will be able to enjoy the magnificent Grand Slam, where the perception that the adopted strategy is still somewhat alive by the players has to do with the result of the matches.

For this year’s edition it seems that there is no clear favourite, as there has not been a clear dominator in recent weeks –Andrei Rublev won Monte Carlo, Carlos Alcaraz won Madrid and Daniil Medvedev Rome–. I would bet on our young representative, although I would never stop including Novak Djokovic.

The Serbian has just played a season on poor soil, with unexpected defeats and even some surprising ones, but a champion like him cannot be ruled out, capable of anything at any time, even more so in the most important tournaments. I wouldn’t forget Casper Ruud, finalist here last year either. After a few hesitant months, in the tournament in Rome he recovered the solidity and seriousness that characterizes him and did not fall until the semifinal match.

Personal annoyances aside, the impressive and elegant setting augurs two weeks of excitement and great tennis. The players pass, the brilliant Roland Garros will always remain. As it has always been.

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