Carlos Alcaraz has been compared to the ‘Big Three’ of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic when they were his age.
At the age of just 21 the Spaniard has already won three Grand Slam titles and claimed the World number one ranking.
He possesses just about every shot in the game and is regarded by many as the most dangerous player in the game when firing on all cylinders.
Given how complete his game already is, the Spaniard has been compared to the legendary trio who took the game to new heights with their epic matches and plethora of achievements over the better part of 20 years.
What did Tim Henman say about Carlos Alcaraz, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic?
Alcaraz is in the middle of trying to successfully defend his Wimbledon title following his epic victory over Djokovic in the 2023 final.
Ahead of his third round clash with Francis Tiafoe, Tim Henman responded to John McEnroe believing Alcaraz is a more complete player than Federer, Nadal and Djokovic were aged 21.
Making his own comparisons, Henman told BBC: “At a young age I think Federer was a little bit temperamental, I think Djokovic had a few technical flaws in his game whether it was on the serve and Nadal hadn’t necessarily learnt how to play on other surfaces.
“Then you see Alcaraz winning in New York, winning at Wimbledon and then winning in Paris a month ago, it’s absolutely phenomenal.
“Add to that how humble he is, his work ethic and the way he plays is massively exciting for us to watch and for the sport in general.”
What have Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic said about Carlos Alcaraz’s game?
Though Alcaraz did not have the opportunity to play Federer before he retired, the Swiss Maestro has watched the youngster’s game develop and is very impressed with what he brings to tennis.
“What a career Carlos has already had and the tour is in good hands with all the young players coming through. I’m still a tennis fan, I’m checking results every day, it’s not like I’m happy to be gone, not at all,” he told Extra TV in June.
Nadal, who defeated Alcaraz on two of the three occasions they played, is due to play doubles with his compatriot at the Paris Olympics.
“It’s a good thing that as a player I will not face him many times,” said back in March at the Netflix Slam. “He’s an amazing player. He’s only 20-years-old and he’s already won two Grand Slams and a couple of important tournaments.”
Djokovic has enjoyed a special rivalry with Alcaraz so far, and has won three of their five matches. “It’s fantastic to have Alcaraz in our sport,” Djokovic said in December 2023.
“He is one of the leaders of this sport today and he is going to carry our sport for the next 10 to 15 years. We are going to see a lot of him, tennis is in good hands.”
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