The stellar week of Paula Badosa and Carlos Alcaraz

Beyond the prominence they exercise Garbiñe Muguruza and Rafa Nadal In Spanish tennis, new figures emerge to ensure a successful replacement in the not too distant future. Paula Badosa and Carlos Alcaraz they are continuously showing this in this season, where this weekend they signed two milestones in their promising careers. The 23-year-old New York-born tennis player raised the first title of her career in Belgrade by defeating Croatian Konjuh in the final (6-2, 2-0 and retired), which led to Paula ascending next Monday to 34th in the WTA ranking, her highest ranking.

As if that were not enough, this will allow you to be seeded at Roland Garros (May 30 to June 13), although Badosa remains cautious. “It seems good to me that they say that I am a favorite, but I think I am very far from players who have won Masters 1000 and Grands Slam. I am doing a very good clay tour, but I am very far from other players who have had a very consolidated dynamic for a long time. weather. Hopefully soon I will be a candidate to win a Grand Slam, but I think that right now is not the time and there are other players who are above, “analyzed the Spanish in the press conference after the final in Belgrade.

However, Paula will arrive in Paris with confidence and enthusiasm after adding a title and three semifinals so far this year: “I will return to Spain tomorrow (for today) and on Wednesday I will go to Paris and I will have four days to prepare for Roland Garros . This title is a shot of motivation and confidence for Roland Garros. I’ve been doing a very good clay court tour. But in the end, Roland Garros is still a Grand Slam and they are going to be very tough games. But coming up with a good dynamic is of course always helpful. In Madrid I showed a good level and that I could do good things in big tournaments. The good dynamics that I have will help me face my commitments with greater confidence. I’m really looking forward to and looking forward to doing my best. “

Alcaraz, the youngest of the 100 best

For his part, Alcaraz took another step in his progression last Saturday in Oeiras, where he won the fourth Challenger title of his record. This new success will allow the Murcian to enter next Monday in the top-100, being the youngest in the ranking among the top hundred, with 18 years and one month. His idol and reference, Rafa Nadal, achieved it at 16 years and ten months. Absolute record.

Without respite to digest the success of the Portuguese tournament, the Murcian already has his sights fixed on the preliminary phase of Roland Garros (May 24 to 28), which would mean his first participation in the final table in Paris and his second appearance in a Grand Slam, after the last Australian Open (made it to the second round). “Entering the top 100 for the first time is beautiful and special and I will always remember it. But I have to give this situation the most naturalness in the world. Roland Garros is coming and that is the focus. It is a great joy, but I am focused. I want to pass the previous phase without problems and improve. I need to gain experience in these types of tournaments and play best of five sets. Entering the top 100 after the pandemic, with the rankings frozen, is not easy, but I am a kid who likes adversity and I have overcome it. There is no time to celebrate. Now I’m going to Paris, “said the ward of Juan Carlos Ferrero at the press conference after the final in Oeiras. The future is yours.