"Mentally he's not 19, he's like 29" says Wilander about Alcaraz
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz has burst into the ATP's Top 10 following a whirlwind start to 2022, and Mats Wilander attributes part of the Spanish teenager's success to his mature mentality.
Alcaraz has been one of the standout ATP players in the 2022 campaign so far, notching titles in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona, and Madrid. The 19-year-old started this season outside the ATP's Top 30, but rapidly improving form has moved the Spanish starlet up to sixth in the standings.
In addition, Alcaraz has shown his capabilities to mix it with the best on the clay courts in 2022, beating the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev in recent months.
The Spanish player also extended his winning run on clay to 11 consecutive matches with a first-round win against Juan Ignacio Londero at the Roland Garros.
Following his meteoric rise in the ATP this season, Alcaraz has received widespread praise from opponents and pundits. The latest former professional to heap praise on the world number six was teenage Grand Slam champion Wilander.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion knows what it takes to win a major title at a young age. Aged just 17, Wilander lifted the 1982 Roland Garros title, and the former Swedish player believes that Alcaraz has the physical skills to go all the way at a Grand Slam.
"It's back to what we were used to in 80s. I was 17 when I won here, Boris Becker was even younger than me when he won Wimbledon and people always talk about why can't you be 18, 19 anymore, because the game is so physical."
"I agree with that but I also think it's mental and Carlos Alcaraz has this unbelievably positive attitude. He's very strong physically, understands the game with hitting drop shots and hitting power shots, especially with forehand, he moves well."
Alcaraz has already shown his ability to compete with the best and win titles, with five ATP titles to his name since turning pro in 2018. However, the Spanish player has yet to progress further than the quarter-final stage at a Grand Slam event.
When speaking about Alcaraz's psychological approach, Wilander said the 19-year-old has shown toughness for such a young age. In addition, the pundit believes the teenager's fearless approach gives him a great foundation to build upon.
"But more than anything, it's the mentality. He's not 19, he's 29 when he's playing on the court. He loves being on the big court. I feel like he's not afraid of anything or anybody."
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