James Blake was really impressed with Carlos Alcaraz’s play in the US Open final earlier tonight.
And yet, it was what the Spaniard said right before he went out on court that really piqued the interest of the former world number four, and earned his true adulation.
That being said, there was so much to praise about Carlos Alcaraz’s performance on arguably the biggest stage in tennis.
Returning to New York after a shocking second-round exit in 2024, he had stormed his way into the final.
However, standing between him and the trophy was Jannik Sinner, his great generational rival, the world number one, and the defending US Open champion.
Alcaraz was not fazed though, as he thundered, sliced, chopped and drop shotted his way to success on a magical night for the youngster.
James Blake praises Carlos Alcaraz’s pre-US Open final mindset
Speaking live on ESPN after the match, as he sought to deliver his analysis alongside Mary Joe Fernandez, Blake actually wanted to take time to praise Alcaraz for what he said before he went out on court.
He started by admitting: “Yeah, and I think we’ve talked about for so long that he’s got the flashy shots and there there’s so many ups and downs, and we saw even at Wimbledon, you, it’s a bit of a scratchy match to start out against Fognini. None of that at all here.”
Blake then added: “I loved what he said pre-match about consistency, but still playing his game. He wants to be more consistent, but he still has to play that aggressive style.
“He still has to play with tons of variety, and he still has to have that love of the game, which we saw throughout the entire match.
“So I love the way he’s doing it and just continuing to raise the level of tennis.”
Elsewhere, Alcaraz was praised by John McEnroe for frustrating Sinner, as he delighted in his awkward but effective game plan.
Carlos Alcaraz was unstoppable throughout his entire US Open run
In what has become a somewhat unfair and lazy accusation to make, Alcaraz is still seen by many as the inconsistent foil to Sinner’s greatness.
However, across the last two weeks, the 22-year-old has proven he is anything but, having reached the US Open final without dropping a single set, before dismantling the world number one to overtake him in the world rankings.
It was a comprehensive tournament from Alcaraz, in which he was broken just twice.
His serving was immaculate, and his ball-striking was god-like.
If he can maintain this level into 2026, he could well usurp Sinner and become the sole dominant force on the ATP Tour.
