Big flat, deep ground shots, took away Alcaraz’s options and reduced him to the role of a rabbit. He was even outplayed in the drop shot stakes. So a qualifier dominates the world number one…if you thought Japan beating the Boks was embarrassing Mike, this was in the same league, maybe worse.
But it underscores everything I have said about the young Spaniard. Having nothing to improve isn’t necessarily a good thing and his real opposition isn’t a fading Big 3, but younger, faster, stronger kids like Marozsan. There will be waves of them.
The genius of the Big 3 is they all figured out how to deal with all challengers…for 15 years.