With the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic inching towards the twilight of their respective careers, many have been wondering where the next all-time great is going to come from in men’s tennis. In Carlos Alcaraz, we might just have found him.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed an explosive start to his professional odyssey, winning two ATP Masters 1000 titles this year at the Miami Open and Madrid Open respectively. There have been some stunning performances from Alcaraz along the way, including beating Nadal in Madrid, becoming the first teenager to beat the legendary player on clay.
All this has led to Alcaraz establishing himself as a strong favourite in the Roland-Garros betting for the upcoming French Open. It would be an outstanding achievement to land a maiden Grand Slam title this early in his career, but it’s worth remembering that Nadal was the same age when he won the French Open for the first time in 2005.
The omens seem good for Alcaraz, so let’s take a look at a few reasons why this talented player is earning so much attention.
Prodigious talent
Despite the obvious comparisons with compatriot Nadal, Alcaraz has built a style of play that is distinct from the elder player, using powerful, accurate forehand groundstrokes to put his opponent on the back foot at the earliest opportunity.
He perhaps doesn’t have the same power as Nadal, but that is made up for in his supreme ability to identify opponents’ weaknesses and exploit them effectively. For such a young player to exhibit such a mature brand of tennis is mightily impressive, and the scary thing is that Alcaraz will only get better and better from here.
Respect of the greats
You know someone is on a path to greatness when the true legends of the game are singing their praises. In Alcaraz’s case, fellow Spaniard Nadal has been quick to herald the youngster’s talents, along with several other of the game’s top players. Indeed, Nadal has been quick to warn people against comparing Alcaraz to his own achievements at the same age, to try and protect his development.
“The only thing we can do is enjoy the career of an amazing player like Carlos and it will be better, even if it’s interesting, that you stop comparing him to me,” Nadal said. “If he is able to win 25 Grand Slams, it’s going to be amazing for him and our country and I will be happy for him, but let’s let him enjoy his personal career.”
The freedom of youth
The main thing on Alcaraz’s side is his age. At the moment, he’ll be playing with a lot of a freedom, and that makes him a dangerous opponent for anyone. If he can keep producing his best on the biggest stage, then there could be a lot of success in store for the talented Spaniard.
Of course, the attention of the media and wider sporting world will bring more pressure. Success brings expectations, and it will be interesting to see how Alcaraz handles things as his popularity and reputation begins to soar. He has a very exciting future ahead of him, and there could well be glory in the offing at the upcoming French Open.
