It had been four-and-a-half hours of battling and sliding on the court.
But in the end, Carlos Alcaraz, the Spanish teenager with sky-high expectations, outstretched his arms, first placing them atop his head, and then pointing them towards the crowd.
For several seconds, he stood on the court, embracing every scream, every ounce of applause from the fans, and soaking it in.
He had just beaten Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 6-1, 6-7 (7), 5-7,…