Carlos Alcaraz has many fans and Maria Sharapova is one of them impressed with what he was able to do in the past year or so.
The Spaniard has been sensational pretty much from the moment he stepped on the courts. The breakout was sudden, the rise was sudden, but nobody is questioning his dominance. A spectacular matchup against Novak Djokovic on Friday in Paris could very well serve to hammer down the point, but even if he losses, it's clear that he's the future of tennis.
There are plenty of things at stake with the Roland Garros trophy being the main one. The number one rank is at stake as well as the respective legacies of both players. One person who will be glued to the screen will be Maria Sharapova who considers herself a fan of Alcaraz. She mentioned him in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport recently.
Carlos [Alcaraz] it's incredible. What fascinates me most about him is his fighting spirit on every point. He manages to put on a show and ignite the crowd every time he sets foot on the field. I can't wait to see him grow, I'm really curious to see where he can go and what he can do.
She's not the only one who has had high praise for him recently. Wilander had very strong words about him recently as did John McEnroe who called him the best player at 20 he's ever seen.
He's been compared to many greats in the past though it's not something he particularly enjoys. He found great inspiration in them but ultimately he's his own man and wants to be remembered as Carlos Alcaraz.
Sharapova sees it happening already as he's developing a style and personality which will be truly unique to him. He's a supremely aggressive player and plays with a smile always which is a bit different to others including Nadal to whom he was mostly compared due to their similar background.
I think in the beginning, the comparisons to Rafa [Nadal] were inevitable but he's developing a style and a personality of his own that will make him a one-of-a-kind player.
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