"I don't think I'm the best player right now" - Alcaraz favours Djokovic and Nadal
ATP
Despite arriving at this year's Hamburg Open in top form, Spain's Carlos Alcaraz still does not consider himself the game's best.
Following a stellar run on the clay around Europe before a brief interlude on SW19's grass courts, Hamburg welcomes Alcaraz as a tournament favorite going into the competition.
The top seed and with a chance to add his third ATP Tour title to his growing collection, occupying the top places in the seedings is now a given for the Spaniard and a role with which he is more than comfortable.
However, despite taking the tennis world by storm in recent months, the youngster is still wary and respectful of the all-time greats who are still an ever-present threat in any tournament they find themselves in.
Speaking specifically about compatriot and idol Rafael Nadal and Serbian legend Novak Djokovic, he admitted that he in fact, considers them to be the best players currently on tour.
"I don't think I am the best player right now, I mean, Novak [Djokovic] won Wimbledon, Rafa [Nadal] Roland Garros and Australia, so there are a lot of great players ahead of me right now."
"I didn’t take it as a pressure. It is just motivation for me, but I don’t think I am the best player right now."
The Spaniard impressed many by admitting that he was ready to win a Grand Slam leading up to Roland Garros, despite being unable to do so, but it is exactly that confidence that he brings to the court as well.
He once again did something similar ahead of Hamburg by saying he is going for the trophy, but this time, he will be favored much more.
"I know that I am playing well. I feel comfortable playing on clay. I am going for the [Hamburg Open] title."
Latest Comments
- Kyrgios will do anything to stay in the news.shirley19-12-2024
- A technical error.
MrMustard18-12-2024 - All that is said , all that is done. Nick has 0 grand slams wins. Everything else is hot 🥵 air.MrMustard18-12-2024
- All that is said , all that isMrMustard18-12-2024
- Kyrgios is a jerk.shirley17-12-2024
- If Jessica Pegula had to undergo such horror for using a bannes substance, so do these two tennis players. Penalty should apply to all players regardless of their excuses. They are professionals and know better!!
Stella112-12-2024 - All players should be treated the same for taking banned substances, if your no 1 in the world or no 300 man or woman you should not be allowed to keep playing,,VPH108-12-2024
- Ah, censored again. No one gets to read my comment. LOLjjluvsports08-12-2024
- Reynolds, could you list all the wars started by the U.S. and U.K., or will you run out of paper? Hypocrisy.jjluvsports06-12-2024
- IDK, it looks like to me that Raducanu should praise herself and her team for 'gaming the system' as in playing the points and ranking game. When you look at her season of wild cards, skipping tournaments (including the Paris Olympics!), retiring from losing matches and avoiding qualifying rounds, it seems like there was some plan to move up the ranks without actually playing a lot of tennis. And it worked! Congrats!RealityCheckers04-12-2024