Rafael Nadal doesn't make many predictions, but he's quite certain that Carlos Alcaraz will go down as one of the best in history.
You don't have to look at Alcaraz's resume too long to realize how amazing of a player he is. Besides some of the obvious pointers, such as being the youngest number one ever on the ATP Tour and being the man with the most Grand Slam trophies before turning 22, Alcaraz just exudes a 'legendary player.'
The way he approaches tennis and the way he plays it just screams superstar, and it's something other legendary players can spot quickly. Being a legendary player puts you in a very interesting spot because you can see some of the things that you were doing at a young age.
Nadal is undoubtedly one of the greatest players to have ever played tennis, and to him, his younger compatriot looks like a player on a similar path. Reacting to the Spaniard's Wimbledon win while talking ahead of the 2024 Bastad Open, the 38-year-old predicted that Alcaraz would become one of the best players in history.
"My impression is we are talking about a player that is going to be one of the best [in] history. That's my feeling. [He is] a player with huge potential. Life can change quick, that's the truth. You never know what can happen in the future. But today if we have to predict what's going on in his career, we predict amazing things."
The skill and level is certainly there. The ambition is certainly there as well, as Alcaraz has been on record wanting to become the best, so now it's mostly about how his body can hold up and whether there will be someone who could challenge him.
"His level of tennis is super high. If he is able to stay away from injuries, of course Sinner is there. But I see him with Sinner over the rest today without a doubt."
"I don't see a lot of players that can stop him on Tour and I think the best thing that he has today is in every tournament that he plays, doesn't matter the surface, he is going to be the favourite."
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