Tennis-Alcaraz graduates from up-and-comer to French Open threat

(Reuters) - Men's tennis has waited more than a decade for a player to emerge with the game and mental fortitude to shake up the 'Big Three' establishment.

On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz signalled the wait may finally be over as he captured his fourth ATP title of the season at the Madrid Open and affirmed himself as a genuine threat for the French Open title.

The 19-year-old Spaniard thrashed Alex Zverev 6-3 6-1 in the claycourt final, having already toppled 'Big Three' titans Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic in a watershed week.

If Alcaraz is the future of men's tennis, the future is already here.

"Right now I'm trying to just assimilate everything that I am going through," Alcaraz told reporters.

"This year ... people are going to think that I'm going to be one of the favourites to win Roland Garros.

"I don't have it as tension, I have it as a motivation.

"I really look forward to going to Paris, to fight for the Grand Slam, and I am really looking forward to show my great level in a Grand Slam, too."

Outside the top 100 a year ago, Alcaraz is now ranked sixth, having torn up the record books this season.

In a few dizzying days in Madrid, he set another slew of benchmarks.

He became the tournament's youngest champion and the first player to beat both 21-times Grand Slam champion Nadal and world number one Djokovic at the same claycourt event.

Having won at Miami a month ago, Alcaraz is now the second youngest player to win two ATP 1000 titles, headed only by compatriot Nadal, who was 18 when he captured his second.

While Alcaraz would appear a natural successor to his countryman Nadal he regards his game more closely aligned with that of Roger Federer, the other member of the 'Big Three'.

It means a commitment to his