WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz snaps resistance band as Roland Garros prep looks strong
Alcaraz’s superhero frame proved too strong for the otherwise unbreakable cord, an ominous opening salvo to his opposition.
Roland Garros has barely begun and Carlos Alcaraz already snapped.
Well, his exercise bands, anyway.
Alcaraz drew a mix of impressed laughter and applause over the weekend when the Spanish teen found he didn’t know his own strength, popping a resistance band during practice.
The No. 6 seed has been the biggest story of the 2022 season, coming into Paris with just one loss since winning his maiden Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open. Proving equally dangerous on clay, the 19-year-old swept back-to-back victories in Barcelona and Madrid, where he reeled off upsets over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic before defeated Alexander Zverev in the final.
For his part, Alcaraz is taking the new fame in stride, flexing his biceps to the crowd after the exercise mishap, but the equipment malfunction is hardly a surprise. Coached by former No. 1 and 2003 Roland Garros champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s physical transformation over the off-season is as noteworthy as his results, turning him into tennis’ answer to Captain America.
More like El Capitán España, am I right?
Aiming to improve on his third-round finish in 2021, Alcaraz kicked off his Roland Garros campaign against unseeded Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero and put his strength on display for the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd, advancing, 6-4, 6-2, 6-0.