By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
For all the anxiety in tennis about a post-Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Serena and Venus Williams world, the 2022 Miami Open proved that the sport will remain in good hands.
Both Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek, age 18 and 20 respectively, dazzled crowds of over 20,000 daily fans over the weekend in Hard Rock Stadium in claiming the men’s and women’s titles respectively at one of the biggest tournaments in tennis.
Swiatek adjusted dramatically to being suddenly thrust into the world No. 1 ranking after the sudden retirement of Ash Barty at the start of the event with a one-sided 6-4, 6-0 victory over Naomi Osaka in the women’s final on Saturday. On Sunday, Alcaraz defeated Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-4 to become the youngest man to win a singles title at the Miami Open and third youngest to ever win a Masters 1000 level tournament.
The Miami Open was one of the few big tournaments that did not feature any of the hallmark players of this last generation – Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and the Williams sisters, but the buzz for the tournament did not subside. After the era of John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors came Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras and after them came Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. For the women, after Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert came Steffi Graf and Monica Seles and the Williams sisters following that. Swiatek and Alcaraz may be the ones to the carry the torch in the next generation.
Swiatek was the surprise winner of the French Open in 2020, played in front a limited fans and in the non-traditional autumn date due to COVID-19. However, she came into her own in Miami, embracing the new pressure thrust upon her as the new world No. 1 and decisively cruised to the title, not losing the set and dominating four-time major champion Osaka in the final.
“She went from being elated to be No. 2 to ‘Oh my goodness,’” said Lindsay Davenport on Tennis Channel in the middle of the Miami Open of the sudden change from being “the hunter” to be “the hunted” in women’s pro tennis.
Combined with her win in Indian Wells two weeks earlier, Swiatek became only the fourth player to win the “Sunshine Double” of the two premier Spring U.S. hard court tournaments, joining Steff Graf, Kim Clijsters and Vika Azarenka.
“I am still hungry. I want to win very much,” said Swiatek to Tennis Channel of her mind-set and her avoiding complacency after clinching the No. 1 ranking. “I knew I couldn’t have focused on rankings, but to focus on tennis.”
The emergence of Alcaraz created the most excitement with his “bone-crushing” groundstrokes and Nadal-like fight and grit. Any time a young teenager starts to make their mark in tennis, it draws a lot of buzz and Alcaraz caught the attention of sports fans. Last year at the U.S. Open, he won a dramatic fifth-set tiebreaker decision of world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas to become the youngest man to reach the U.S. Open quarterfinals. In 2022, entering Miami, he lost only two matches, losing to top 10 star Matteo Berrettini in a fifth-set tiebreaker at the Australian Open and in a topsy-turvy semifinal in Indian Wells to Nadal. He won his first two singles titles in his a career at the ATP 250 event in Umag in 2021 and the ATP 500 event in Rio de Janiero earlier this year..
“He’s the best at his age since Nadal. I don’t think there is any question about that,” said Jim Courier on Tennis Channel.
Alcaraz became the third youngest man to win a Masters 1000 title with his Miami title, behind Michael Chang and Nadal. He also did something that Nadal had never done, which is win in Miami, one of the few career titles that Nadal had never won, him coming closest exactly 17 years to the day of the Alcaraz win when he lost to Roger Federer from two-sets-to-love ahead.
“He’s won a 250, he’s won a 500, now he’s won a 1000, What’s next gang?” Courier asked Tennis Channel co-hosts Brett Haber and Navratilova, hinting that he is likely on the verge of breaking through and winning his first major singles title.
“He’s one of the top four people you have to talk about in majors going forward,” said Navratilova, pointing out that only Nadal, Djokovic and world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev would be favored over him to win majors the rest of the year as it stands now.
Said Alcaraz to Tennis Channel shortly after his win on what is next,” Hopefully, I will win a Grand Slam this year, but it is tough.”
