How to survive a bad start: Alcaraz in Nadal mode to help Spain continue its love affair with Roland Garros.

It's like those rituals, or rather traditions, that life is filled with. Two decades have passed, but one thing remains inherent to visits to Paris in June: a Spaniard is playing in the Roland Garros final . After winning his first trophy in France, Carlos Alcaraz will defend his title against Jannik Sinner in the final after defeating Lorenzo Musetti (4-6, 7-6, 6-0, 2-0). The Italian retired due to physical problems after pushing himself a bit and finding it was in vain.

The build-up to the match was marked by an iconic moment: Carlitos took a photo of the Rafa Nadal plaque, inaugurated before this year's edition. Perhaps it was a way of appealing to fortune, of imbuing himself with the idol's spirit . Alcaraz grew up with his exploits in Paris, and the dream already came true last year. But he wants it to continue so the Spanish dynasty can extend its reign at Roland Garros.

It was a tough duel, even if Musetti's withdrawal invites other reflections. The Italian displayed his best tennis, with one-handed crosscourt backhands reminiscent of the best Roger Federer. This isn't hyperbole, mind you; just go to the nets and see such shots that could even be classified as museum pieces .

Alcaraz's break opportunities hadn't been capitalized on , unlike Musetti's. The outcome seemed bleak for Carlitos, given his persistent difficulty resisting adversity . But in the face of such a situation, his most Nadalian self emerged to overcome the ordeal and smooth the path to the final.

The resurgence of Carlitos

Carlitos's mentality has always been a target of criticism , perhaps because it's the only area in which he's vulnerable. Alcaraz is, in short, a complete tennis player with a varied record that would make him practically unbeatable if he added psychological strength to his resume . And he demonstrated this against Musetti.

Attending his most Nadal-like performance leaves a question: do we Spaniards like tennis or did we like watching Nadal? It's sensible to lean toward the latter, because we admire epic feats. Just as we preferred Perico to Induráin, we chose Rafa over Carlitos because Alcaraz's game is far from difficult, while the obvious inferiority was the reason we admire Nadal's feats.

The return to the final in Paris

A fondness for Rafa doesn't stop you from sitting down and watching Carlitos whenever you get the chance. With Alcaraz, however, the script is more predictable, even though there are players, as was the case with Musetti, who force him to act like a tightrope walker . It's (almost) certain that he'll slump throughout the match, but the location of his best form makes him an unstoppable hurricane.

Now she faces her third final in 12 months at the Philippe Chatrier , the venue that has seen Spaniards in 16 of their last 21 finals. A victory would be her fifth Grand Slam title. And the continuation of an unfinished hegemony in Paris. A dynasty that has the scent of an absolute monarchy.