US Open opponent raved about “model example” Carlos Alcaraz in post-match interview

Although it was not an easy match, Carlos Alcaraz got off to a good start in the US Open on Tuesday with a win over Li Tu.

Alcaraz started well against Tu, winning the first set 6-2. Tu responded with a 6-4 win of his own in the second set to tie the match. But Alcaraz regained the lead with a 6-3 win in the third set and then put Tu out of action with a 6-1 win in the fourth set.

After the game, Tu said that Alcaraz had made a strong impression on him even before the first ball.

“I’m not going to lie, he came out and he had his jacket on and I was like, ‘OK,'” Tu recalled. “Then we went to the coin toss and he took his jacket off. And I was like, ‘Dude, this guy is a real specimen.’ When the coin was flipped, I was like, ‘OK, this guy is a beast.’ I just couldn’t stop staring at his shoulder area and the veins. And the forehand says it. He’s got some really serious weapons. So, hats off to him.”

“We go to the coin toss and he takes off his jacket and I’m like, ‘Dude, this guy is a beauty… this guy is a beast.’ I just couldn’t stop staring at his strong shoulders.”

Carlos Alcaraz had caught Li Tu’s attention before their fight began. pic.twitter.com/epzrNNRu4q

— Awful Announcement (@awfulannouncing) 28 August 2024

Tu wasn’t the only person impressed by Alcaraz. Nick Kyrgios also told Alcaraz: “Your arms look sensational in that outfit” (H/T José Morgado).

Kyrgios. “Your arms look sensational in that outfit.”

Alcaraz. “I love playing in sleeveless jerseys.”

Kyrgios: “I know that.”

Nick said Alcaraz is one of the best players to ever play the sport. pic.twitter.com/6wAJs5IW60

— Jose Morgado (@josemorgado) 28 August 2024

Although Alcaraz is only 21 years old, he already has an impressive track record that few in the history of the sport can match. He is a four-time Grand Slam tournament winner, including the last two Grand Slam tournaments, the 2024 French Open and Wimbledon.

[José Morgado on X]