Tennis is a sport that demands exceptional skills and unwavering determination. But imagine giving your opponent a chance to analyze your skills right before a match. Many would be thinking, “Is that even possible?” Well, French Open winner Carlos Alcaraz has indeed made it possible, going against the usual trends of tennis.

Carlos Alcaraz has been on an impressive run this season so far. Having won his first title at Roland Garros, the 21-year-old is now eyeing the grass-court season and a second Wimbledon title. Meanwhile, he is currently poised to participate in the Queen’s Club championship, with his first match against a crucial opponent, Francisco Cerundolo. Now, what has caught the eyes of the tennis community is the practice session ahead of the match.

In a trendsetting approach, Alcaraz decided to practice against no one else but his opponent himself. In a video that is now going viral, Alcaraz can be seen practicing against Cerundolo on the grass courts. What makes this gesture special, is the fact that players usually tend to not engage in any such activities with their opponents, especially before a match. 

Another crucial aspect of this training is newness. Both Alcaraz and Cerundolo have not faced each other at the ATP Tour ever, and hence, the practice can be strategic for both. Placed comfortably within the top 30, the Argentine star is expected to give a tough challenge to the Spaniard in the first match. While that remains to be seen, taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Journalist and tennis commentator Jose Morgado expressed his shock over the incident. Meanwhile, the venture at Queen’s Club Championship is not going to be a cheese walk for the Spaniard.

Ranked 27th in the world, Francisco Cerundolo is a force to be reckoned with on any surface. While known for his clay court prowess, Cerundolo surprised the tennis world last year by conquering the grass courts at the Rothesay International Eastbourne. This victory not only marked his first grass court title, but also cemented his place in history as only the second Argentine player to achieve this feat. Meanwhile, Alcaraz carries a 12-match grass-court winning streak into London’s ATP 500 event and will try to retain the momentum from his triumph at Roland Garros.

However, while his first match is against Cerundolo, his second match can be against Jack Draper or Mariano Navone. While Draper won the Stuttgart Open on Sunday, his first ATP tour title, Navone too had a breakthrough year having won the Sardegna Open. It will be interesting to see if Michael Chang’s ‘artist’ can continue his domination!

‘Carlos is an artist’: When Michael Chang went praises for Alcaraz

Michael Chang is known for his immense talent on the clay court. He is the youngest man to win the Roland Garros title, at the tender age of 17, 3 months and 20 days in 1989. In a recent interview with El Pais, Chang went into all-around praises for Alcaraz, who recently became the youngest player to conquer all three surfaces at a tender at of 21, following his French Open domination. 

Speaking in the interview, he said that Alcaraz is a player who always smiles, irrespective of the match’s outcome. When asked if this trait stands out for the former American player, he called Alcaraz an ‘artist.’ “I think that’s a big part of the reason why people like him so much. He gets along very well with the fans and, especially, with the kids. And as a player, he is an artist, a great talent; his potential is unlimited. It’s going to be interesting to see how it develops.” 

With a remarkable feat on grass, it will be fascinating to see if the Spaniard can defend his title at the Queen’s Cup and then eventually at Wimbledon. Adding to the excitement, Carlitos is also poised to pair up with legendary Rafael Nadal for the Summer Olympics!