Former tennis player and now commentator, Daniela Hantuchova, has shown strong support for Carlos Alcaraz as the clear favorite for the upcoming French Open, regardless of his performance at the ATP Masters 1000 Italian Open in Rome. Her endorsement comes after Alcaraz successfully defended his titles at both the Barcelona Open and Madrid Open.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Performances
Alcaraz secured his fourth Masters 1000 title victory by defeating lucky loser Jan-Lennard Struff in the final of the Madrid Open, with a score of 6-4, 3-6, and 6-3. When questioned about the possibility of not viewing Alcaraz as the favorite for the French Open, Hantuchova remained firm in her belief that the 20-year-old would be the frontrunner for Roland Garros, even if he were to suffer a first-round exit at the Rome Masters. Hantuchova also stated that even if Novak Djokovic won the Rome title, she would still see Alcaraz as the clear favorite for the 2023 French Open.
Madrid Open Organizers Favored Alcaraz
Before the final match at the Madrid Open, Hantuchova shared her observation that the ground staff had watered the court twice, claiming that they were intentionally trying to make the court slower to give Alcaraz an easier time returning Struff’s serve. Hantuchova noted, “Especially on clay, that’s what we were kind of always expecting when you play a Spanish player here or in Italy when you play someone from Italy.”
Carlos Alcaraz’s Records
With his victory at the Madrid Open, Alcaraz joined Rafael Nadal as the only two players to achieve consecutive championships in the tournament’s history. Additionally, he became the youngest player since Nadal in 2005-2006 to successfully defend an ATP Masters 1000 title.
