Roland Garros 2024: Carlos Alcaraz is already the history of Spanish tennis in Paris: twelfth member of the men’s ‘Armada’ in the final

Roland Garros has spoken Spanish in the 21st century thanks to names like Albert Costa, Juan Carlos Ferrero and, above all, Rafael Nadal. �lex Corretja and David Ferrer also made people talk with their presence in the 2001 and 2013 finals, respectively.

Carlos Alcaraz personifies the relief of all of them. At 21 years and 33 days old, this Friday he became the twelfth member of the male ‘Armada’ capable of sneaking into the last Sunday in Paris. Yes, women are counted, The number rises to 15 with Arantxa S�nchez Vicario, Conchita Mart�nez and Garbi�e Muguruza.

Alcaraz joins a list of great national rackets such as Manolo Santana, Andr�s Gimeno, Manolo Orantes, Sergi Briguera, Alberto Berasategui, Carlos Moy�, Corretja, Albert Costa, Ferrero, Ferrer and Nadal.

63 years have passed since Santana was the pioneer of Spanish tennis on the courts of the Bois de Boulogne. She defeated his friend Nicola Pietrangeli in the final, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 and 6-2. He would repeat three years later with the same opponent.

Of all the ‘Armada’ finalists, the Musketeers Cup eluded Orantes, defeated in the 1974 edition by Bj�rn Borg. Nor could Berasategui, victim of Bruguera, win. Corretja, who failed in 1998 with his compatriot Carlos Moy� and in 2001 with Gustavo Kuerten, and Ferrer, who bowed the knee with Nadal, the undisputed king of the land.

Alcaraz wants his dream to come true: to hear the Spanish anthem in his honor in Paris and to rub shoulders with Santana, Gimeno, Bruguera, Moy�, Costa, Ferrero and Nadal: “Winning and listening to the hymn is one of the greatest things and I have imagined it in Paris because I know it is played there.”

Winning and hearing the anthem is one of the greatest things and I have imagined it in Paris

Carlos Alcaraz

The pupil of Juan Carlos Ferrero, who as a child watched the prestigious French tournament through the television screen, has played his six games at the Philippe Chatrier, the majestic center of the Bois de Boulogne. This is how he expresses what he feels when he steps on it: “It’s not that I get goosebumps, but I do know that moments come to me in my head, the desire increases, the adrenaline, what could have happened on that track and what that can happen in the future. That does come to mind and I hope it happens. La Chatrier is an incredible, wonderful track and I hope one day I can play in a final there.” That day has arrived. It could be this Sunday, with Alexander Zverev on the other side of the net. l