PARIS: The boldest statement of the season came from 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in Madrid. A thunderbolt much like his forehand. That the Spaniard closed back-to-back wins over the Czars of the sport en route to his second ATP Masters title two weeks ago, underscored his mettle.
With just one more top tier tango to go in the run-up to the French Open, Alcaraz had emerged as the man to beat. It was about timing, not unlike his featherlight dropshots.
