Carlos Alcaraz is one of the most talented players on the ATP Tour, yet he may not reach the heights of the Big Three, according to Boris Becker.
In the recent years, there haven't been many more talented players than the young Spaniard. Holger Rune, Jannik Sinner, Sebastian Korda, Ben Shelton, and some others have been in the discussion, but none of them came anywhere close to Alcaraz's success.
The Spanish prodigy became the youngest man to reach the world no. 1 spot, and he already has two Grand Slam titles in his trophy collection. On top of that, he is one of the most popular athletes in the world.
With the Big Three retiring, it's not surprising that many are looking for someone who could substitute them, and with the Spaniard's resume, it's difficult not to look at him as the successor.
Novak Djokovic managed to win 24 Grand Slam titles in his career, Rafael Nadal won 22, while Roger Federer has 20 to his name. They all achieved something that has not been done before, and pushed the bar even higher.
And that's why many want to see Alcaraz do the same thing. We've seen crazy predictions such as 30 Grand Slam titles or similar, but Boris Becker, who spoke on the latest episode of Eurosport's Das Gelbe vom Ball, warns against such crazy predictions.
"It’s almost impossible to avoid comparison with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. But please give him time to develop, so that he doesn't lose interest in the sport, because we still need him for a few years. It is misleading to think Carlos can surpass 20 Grand Slam titles."
According to the former German player, who is now coaching Holger Rune, no other three players will again win more than 20 Grand Slams at the same time. On top of that, Becker emphasizes that Alcaraz is very important for tennis, and that's why people should not put pressure on him.
"I am convinced that 3 players will never again win more than 20 Grand Slam tournaments at the same time. He is very important for the tennis scene, a great ambassador. Also, last but not least, a great successor of the Big 3."