Sports crossovers are not uncommon these days. In the first round of the 2024 US Open, tennis sensation Carlos Alcaraz defeated Li Tu in the third set. He is usually compared to athletes from the tennis community such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djoković. ESPN’s Brad Gilbert couldn’t help but draw parallels between the Spaniard and NBA superstar Stephen Curry.
Gilbert admitted that the world number three’s game reminded him a lot of Curry. Alcaraz seemed to blush and gratefully accepted the compliment. In response to the ESPN analyst, he revealed that he could not see Curry and the US basketball team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“I couldn’t. I would have loved to come and watch the USA play basketball, but that wasn’t possible. You know, the tennis schedule is always so tight that I didn’t find the time to go.”
However, the four-time Grand Slam winner was lucky enough to see the Golden State Warriors point guard play live. During the 2024 Miami Open, the El Palmar native made his way to the Kaseya Center and was present courtside during the Warriors heat duel.
According to Curry’s observation, he played the game with joy. And the ATP star hoped to emulate this trait in tennis. Alcaraz said:
“But I watched him. I saw Steph Curry play in real life in Miami, and it was a joy. It was a privilege to watch him play. I try to do the same thing as him on the basketball court, you know, but it’s difficult. But yeah, probably the same games, the same feelings that we try to bring joy to the games.”
“I’ve seen Steph Curry play in real life… I try to do the same thing he does on the basketball court, but it’s difficult. Probably the same games, the same emotions that we try to bring joy to the games.”
Carlos Alcaraz on the Warriors star pic.twitter.com/5S5kYNJKjh
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 28 August 2024
Although Steph and Alcaraz play different sports, they have one thing in common: they amaze their fans with their incredible performance.
From what we saw in the opening round of the big tournament in New York, the young man is having a lot of fun entertaining his fans. We can only expect him to continue his impressive performance in Flushing Meadows over the next two weeks. Hopefully Alcaraz can help Stephen Curry to strike back during the Grand Slam.
