'Astonishing' Alcaraz Can Fill Rafa's Wimbledon Absence, Lopez Believes

| by Alex Waite

Carlos Alcaraz has earned the plaudits from compatriot Feliciano Lopez, who is backing the world number one to fill Rafael Nadal's void at Wimbledon 2023.

Alcaraz has continued his impressive 2022/2023 form in the early stages of grass season. At his first Cinch Championships last week, the 20-year-old reclaimed the ATP number one sport by winning the competition - just his third-ever competitive tennis event on the grass surface.

Following the win at Queen's, Alcaraz will enter the Wimbledon main draw as the top seed and the Spanish player will hope to improve on his fourth-round run in last year's Wimbledon competition.

In addition, Alcaraz will be the leading Spanish player at Wimbledon as two-time winner Nadal recovers from surgery and Lopez believes the time is right for the 20-year-old to step up in Rafa's place.

2023 Wimbledon ATP Draw With Djokovic, Kyrgios, Alcaraz & more
2023 Wimbledon ATP Draw With Djokovic, Kyrgios, Alcaraz & more

"I call him a miracle. Spain is not a big powerful tennis country compared to others and it’s crazy to see one great like Rafa about to end his career and then this kid from Murcia arrived. Winning a grand slam aged 19, being world No.1 . It’s astonishing."

Throughout the last two seasons, Alcaraz has shown his quality to compete on hard court and on clay. 2023 victories at the Barcelona Open and the Madrid Open followed success at the 2022 US Open.

But, question marks have arisen over the 20-year-old's ability to perform on grass with so little experience on the surface. Lopez contends this argument and says Alcaraz has all the technical and physical tools to compete on grass.

"I think he has the skills to be a great grass court player. He has great hands and moves really good and the movement on the grass is key. Not many players move the way he moves,”

"Before Queen’s he had played only six matches on grass but he’s so gifted and the gifted players can adjust quickly than the rest of the human beings.”

Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From Pre-Wimbledon Exhibition At Hurlingham
Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws From Pre-Wimbledon Exhibition At Hurlingham

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