Carlos Alcaraz made history after qualifying for the final draw of the Australian Open 2021 after defeating Bolivian Hugo Dellien in the last game of the previous one. It will be the first time that the young Murcian tennis player plays a Grand Slam in addition to being the first player born in 2003 to play in the Australian tournament.
With your achievement yesterday Alcaraz will debut at the Australian Open with 17 years, nine months and three days, equaling a record that lives up to the top three tennis legends today, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who also debuted in the final phase of a Grand Slam at the age of 17, as reported by the ESPN portal.
Nadal was the youngest of the three to reach this milestone as he entered the final draw at Wimbledon 2003 at 17 years and 20 days. as number 76 of the ATP ranking. The balearic defeated Croatian Mario Ancic in the first round and British Lee Childs in the second round before falling in the third round to Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, number 11 in the world at the time.
He also qualified for a Grand Slam before Carlos Alcaraz Serbian Novak Djokovic, who played his first Grand Slam match at the 2005 Australian Open aged 17 years, seven months and 27 days. Unlike Nadal, Djokovic was not so lucky in his debut in a big, since fell in three sets to Russian Marat Safin, then number four in the world.
The 'Big Three' tennis player who took the longest to debut in a Grand Slam was the Swiss Roger Federer, who played the final phase of Roland Garros in 1999 with 17 years, nine months and 16 days, few more days than Alcaraz will have when he makes his debut at the Australian Open. On its debut Federer stood up to a whole world number 3 of the time like Patrick Rafter, although the Australian threw gallons and veteran to deprive the Swiss of his first Grand Slam victory.
Now, from next February 8, it will be the turn for the debut of Carlos Alcaraz, who is already waiting for a rival in the final draw of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of his career where he wants to try to show that he can follow the path of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic to achieve future success in tennis.