Alcaraz, Swiatek win U.S. Open titles

“This is something I have dreamed of since I was a kid,” is what the 2022 Men’s U.S. Open Singles winner, Carlos Alcaraz, said in his post match interview during the trophy ceremony. The comment is equal parts comical and impressive since the 19-year-old Spaniard won his first U.S. Open while also catapulting to No. 1 in the rankings.

It was just last year that Alcaraz made his mark on the game when he won his first Grand Slam match on a court in Australia with only a few dozen fans. This weekend, however, Alcaraz played in front of an all-time attendance record of 776,120 for the tournament.

Perhaps his youth can be credited to his accomplishments. On his road to the final, Alcaraz had to play three straight five-set matches that kept him on the court for close to 15 hours. His quarterfinal match did not end until 2:50 a.m. - another record set this year for the latest finish in the history of the tournament.

Youth did not only accompany the winner on the men’s side, but also the women’s. Iga Swiatek, 21, of Poland beat Ons Jabeur (6-2, 7-6 (5)) to win her third Grand Slam title in two years. Swiatek’s win moved her 5300 points ahead of No. 2 Jabeur in the world rankings. If someone is going to take the top spot from her, she is going to make them work for it.

While Alcaraz now only has around 900 points over No. Casper Rudd in the world rankings, his opponents are recognizing his greatness and the fact that his talent will likely only grow from here.

In the semi-final match, Alcaraz pushed a young 24-year-old, American Frances Tiafoe to his limit. “I’ve never played a player who moves as well,” said Tiafoe. “He’s going to be a problem for a very long time.”

The level of intensity and confidence that came from Alcaraz in the final against Rudd looked like someone who had more experience. He rushed the net at every opportunity and was on the offensive from the beginning. Ruud battled back to even the score, but Alcaraz continued to elevate his game.

Alcaraz’s final point of the game came from a serve with perfect placement and a veracity that didn’t seem possible from a teenager. The new champion immediately collapsed on his back, in elation or exhaustion, no one knows. Through the tournament, Alcaraz played 23 hours and 39 minutes on the court; more than any other player in Grand Slam tournament history.

“I want to be on top for many weeks, many years,” Alcaraz said later in a news conference. Then he pointed at the trophy. “I want more of these.” If he can continue to play the way fans saw during this Grand Slam event, there is no doubt his trophy case will fill up quickly.