It is difficult not to be drawn in by Alcaraz when he plays.
He can naturally produce the sorts of shots players spend hours practising. In the final against Sinner, he hit an astonishing sliced smash that curved onto the tramlines, completely wrong-footing the Italian.
He has been criticised in the past for choosing the glamour shot over the sensible option. But at Flushing Meadows, he was able to tie together both facets of his game to keep his opponents on their toes.
“I think he’s growing up. It’s way of life,” Ferrero said.
“We are very clear what he has to improve on and off the court, and I think he’s more mature to believe that he can improve.”
His playing style is what makes him so engaging, as well as his openness and friendliness on and off court.
He often spends time signing autographs at the end of practice sessions, and was also happy to make light of a fairly brutal haircut his brother accidentally gave him during the first week of the Slam.
Appearing with a shaved head, Alcaraz said his brother had a mishap with the shears when giving him a trim, leaving him no choice but to opt for a buzz-cut.
And then there are the celebrations.
Alcaraz celebrated each of his victories at the US Open by mimicking a golf swing in reference to how he has been spending his downtime in New York – playing alongside compatriot and 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia.
After his quarter-final, Alcaraz said he was “here to entertain the people, myself and the team”.
He has certainly done that – with the added bonus of leaving the city as the champion.
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