Carlos Alcaraz is only 19 years old, but he is already an inspiration and mirror for the next batch of Spanish tennis. Only three years separate him. Martin Landalucewho gave another joy yesterday and won the US Open junior tournament.
“For years I have seen Zverev a lot, I have a similar style of play,” he said about the German tennis player, who was seriously injured this year at Roland Garros. «But since Alcaraz is breaking it everywhere I have noticed him a lot. Also, I really like him as a person. So they are two good references ».
Landaluce, from Madrid with the look of a Viking, blue eyes and blonde to the eyelashes, has an important tennis player plant at 16 years old: 1,91 metros -“I think I’ve already stalled, it’s fine, it’s a good height for tennis”-, with size and speed.
Yesterday he beat the number two junior in the world, the Belgian Gilles Arnaud Bailly, to score his first ‘big’ in the category (7-6, 5-7, 6-2). He did it after having dispatched the number one in the world, the Paraguayan Daniel Vallejo, the day before.
“I trust myself a lot and I really like these challenges, facing difficult things,” he assured. The steps ahead of her now will be more complicated. “I think this is going to be one of my last junior tournaments,” she said. «I am going to get into Future tournaments, start like this. I’ll see how things go and at 18 I’ll make the decision whether to go professional or go to university».
The second option is an option that has already been taken by two older brothers, scholarship holders in the tennis programs of universities in Georgia and Texas. A sign that Landaluce comes from a family linked to tennis.
“I started playing when I was three years old. In my family I took a passion for this sport », he recounted. «Since I was little I trained with my father, who has been my coach until a few years ago, when I joined the Madrid Federation. For two years I have been with Oscar Burrieza and I have also started working with Esteban Carrill, this is my first tournament with him».
Share with Alcaraz more than the style of tennis. His manager is Albert Molina, who also manages the young prodigy from Murcia.
Outside the track, his great hobby is music. “I listen to absolutely everything… except classical music,” she assured with a smile. And go out with friends. Something that already does little for tennis, but that he can afford less if he continues to take steps towards professionalism: “I’m willing to pay for it.”