via Imago
Carlos Alcaraz has seen both the highs and lows this week. The 20-year-old Spanish tennis star recently received the Spanish Sportsman of the Year Award from the King of Spain. Alcaraz received the ‘Rey Felipe Award’ for the year 2022 in which he won his maiden Grand Slam title and also became the world no.1 at the same time. But on Monday this week, the Spaniard got dropped from the no.2 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time since winning the US Open in 2022. Concerning signs for the former world no.2?
Well, Swedish former world number 1, Mats Wilander thinks otherwise. The 59-year-old recently gave an interview to Eurosport where he stated that slipping down the rankings could possibly serve as a blessing in disguise for Carlos Alcaraz.
“It reminds me so much of the great Roger Federer” – Mats Wilander on Carlos Alcaraz
During the conversation, Wilander revealed that he thinks Carlos Alcaraz’s career will take a very different path. “When I see Carlos Alcaraz play tennis, it reminds me so much of the great Roger Federer,” Wilander. He said according to him, Roger Federer is the greatest player of all time. Wilander believes it has nothing to do with the stats and results, but it has to do with what he means to the sport and the expectations that automatically surround him whenever he puts his step onto the court. He finds the same thing with Carlos Alcaraz as well.
via Reuters
Wilander went on to add that people are always expecting Alcaraz to win every match he plays. He appreciated the way Carlos Alcaraz hits the drop shots and comes to the net every time. “I think Carlos Alcaraz could become the second most important tennis player to ever play our sport because of what he brings to the court,” Mats Wilander. But at the same time, he believes the consistency in the ranking will not be the same as other players. Because Wilander thinks that’s not the way he plays tennis. But what does Alcaraz think?
Carlos Alcaraz is now looking forward to his rivalry with the new world no.2, Jannik Sinner. He said, “We all know about the rivalry Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have had. Let’s hope I can have that amazing rivalry with Jannik. I hope he pressures me to give 100 per cent and we can both improve.”
Last year, the Spaniard was praised by Roger Federer himself for his young but impressive career. Here’s what the Swiss Maestro had said on Alcaraz during the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast.
“Alcaraz is great” – Federer heaps praise on the youngster from Murcia
Federer said, “Alcaraz is great. I mean, look, he’s still young and everything that he has achieved is fantastic and also not just on clay or just on hard, you know.” The Swiss looked mighty impressed as he heaped praise on Alcaraz’s performance against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon finals.
He admitted that with the level of tennis that his generation has set over the years, it’s now expected that every other generation produces the best tennis every week. But that is a pretty tough ask, according to the Swiss legend. ” I think Carlos, he’s done as well as he possibly could have so far. And he’s going to lose some time to time,” Federer. But he strongly believes Carlos Alcaraz has an unbelievable future ahead of him. What are your thoughts on Carlos Alcaraz’s journey so far?
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