Carlos Alcaraz defeats Casper Ruud to win the US Open final
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Carlos Alcaraz is a player who has experienced plenty of hardship.
And, for the 12-year-old phenom, it’s nothing he can’t handle.
After all, the 18-year-old from Venezuela is no stranger to hardships, or life itself.
Now the second-ranked player in the US Open, Alcaraz defeated No. 20 Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in an epic final on Friday to win his first ever major.
It’s been more than a year since Alcaraz last reached a Grand Slam final. And it hasn’t been easy for the young man behind the chair.
For starters, he has had to deal with an extended period of personal strife. And he was forced to contend with a devastating back injury that has taken its toll on the teenager.
For instance, he was forced to cut short his junior season in order to undergo back surgery in late-May.
Despite facing some adversity, he’s not letting it deter him from his mission.
“It’s tough when you don’t have people supporting you, when you don’t have people supporting you to carry you to the top and to be the best player that you can be,” said Alcaraz. “When you don’t have that support, you’re vulnerable and you have to be very brave.
“It’s going through a bad time, which is hard, but it’s been tough. I know that when it’s all said and done, I’ll have memories that will be so good. It’s been one of the most difficult years of my life but