Carlos Alcaraz ready to rise above mind games and conquer first Grand Slam at French Open

Teenage Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz starts the French Open as the second favourite - and a top target for mind games by the other contenders. The world No.6 has won four titles this year, including his last three Masters events in Miami, Barcelona and Madrid.

The 19-year-old beat Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and world No.3 Alex Zverev in successive stunning matches to claim the title in the Spanish capital and show he is the sensation of the sport. It is not exceptional for a Spaniarad to lead the ATP Tour in clay-court match-win percentage for the 52 weeks leading up to Roland Garros with Nadal dominating on the surface since his first win here as a 19-year-old in 2005.

Alcaraz has a 23-3 record on clay over the last year and has won more titles (four) than matches he has lost - and is 16-1 on the red dirt this year. When he won on the hardcourts of Miami last month, he knocked Real Madrid off the front page of sports daily AS with the headline: "The Alcaraz Era has begun".

There has not been the same excitement about a young male player at Roland Garros since Nadal's debut in 2005. And many comparisons have been made between the Mallorcan and the boy from El Palmar near Murcia.

But Justine Henin told Belgian newspaper Le Soir: "The comparison with Nadal, for me, does not hold water. To me, there seems to be a good mix of the big three. In terms of play, Carlos Alcaraz seems to me even more complete than Nadal, Federer or Djokovic." While Nadal battered opponents into submission with his forehand at the start of his career, Alcaraz has a more rounded game with a better serve and the clever use of drop shots and lobs.

But 21-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, who Alcaraz grew up idolising, said: "If he can win 25 Grand