Rafael Nadal believes that there is no secret recipe for success for Carlos Alcaraz, as he believes that the 19-year-old Spaniard simply has all the tools to be a top player for a long time. Alcaraz, who will turn 20 in May, is already a Grand Slam champion and the youngest number 1 in tennis history.
Game wise, Alcaraz is already very well rounded and his game really has no weaknesses. When it comes to the mental side, that’s one of the most amazing things about Alcaraz, as many are absolutely blown away by the 19-year-old’s mental strength.
“Normally what makes someone so special is being very good, nothing more (Rafa laughs). When I say that he is special, I mean that he is very fast, that he hits very hard, that he has a great drive and a great backhand and that he has the ability to be a great tennis player,» Nadal told Marca.
Nadal believes that Alcaraz can be a great player for a long time
Roger Federer is retired, while Nadal and Novak Djokovic are well into their thirties. With Nadal and Djokovic slowly approaching retirement, Alcaraz is the one widely considered to become the next all-time great.
However, there are several other up-and-coming players from the new generation, as many think that Jannik Sinner, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Holger Rune could do big things as well. But Alcaraz is the one standing out and many believe the 19-year-old Spaniard will go on to win more than 10 Grand Slams.
After Alcaraz captured his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, he was asked if he could match Nadal’s 22 Grand Slams. Alcaraz refused to enter into such conversations because he simply pointed out that 22 is a large number and that it is too early for him to have such conversations.
Alcaraz grew up watching Nadal and now he is following in his idol’s footsteps and doing great things from a very young age.
