'Not Fair To Say That': Federer Refuses To Says Alcaraz Is Mix Of Big Three
ATP
Roger Federer refused to call Carlos Alcaraz a mix of himself, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Federer and Alcaraz never got to play against each other in a competitive match, which remains a huge regret for the young Spaniard, but it's not something he had control over.
Alcaraz grew up idolizing Federer and wanted to play him when he grew up, but ultimately, he arrived a little too late for that. He'll be delighted to know that Federer is a huge fan of his and likes how he plays, which should be a good consolation prize.
However, during a recent appearance on the ATP Radio Podcast, Federer refused to call the youngster a mix of himself, Nadal, and Djokovic while admitting that he has elements of all.
"I see a bit of the power obviously on the forehand side, Rafa’s style a little bit. Maybe also mine, like you say, more the technique maybe from me potentially. Obviously, you see the drop shot, you see he’s using slice, he can play from back as Rafa can."
"And then he’s got obviously some defensive skills that rival Novak’s, but Novak’s obviously at an elite level because when you do it for so many years, you stand alone, basically. Like Rafa on clay and all that."
He's been called a mix of the Big Three by several people, including Djokovic. Federer also explained why those comparisons are made. However, Alcaraz prefers to be looked at as an individual.
Federer agrees with that, preferring to simply call Carlos 'Carlos,' rather than the next someone.
"Maybe there’s a combination, but it’s also not fair to say that because Carlos is Carlos, like Novak is Novak and Rafa is Rafa. I don’t like it when there is just too many comparisons, I like when they stand alone."
