Carlos Alcaraz is destined to achieve great things within tennis, with the potential to emulate the greats like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
And, as the would-be successor to this legendary trio, comparisons regularly emerge to see which of them whom the Spaniard most resembles.
He is very much his own brand of superstar though, determined to forge his own legacy in his own special way.
That being said, the comparisons never really go away, with Paul Annacone, a former coach of Roger Federer, now sparking up fresh debate on that front.
Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz compared again
Speaking to Tennis Channel, he sought to analyse Carlos Alcaraz’s play style which is drawing so much intrigue.
After all, everyone’s well aware of the unbridled talent he possesses, yet at times that talent escapes him.
His inability to crush opponents like Fábián Marozsán and Damir Džumhur in straight sets at this French Open is what has really intensified debates, despite Alcaraz complaining about the Roland Garros conditions.
Annacone noted: ‘He has those hiccups. That’s the problem, we see those hiccups and we go “Uh-oh, he’s vulnerable,” but that’s how he plays. You don’t see those hiccups generally with Sinner and when Novak was dominant you never saw them with him either.
‘I always think it’s a style of play thing. Like you would see them more from Roger than you would from Rafa or Novak, because of the style of play.
‘I think Alcaraz is way closer to Roger’s style of play than Rafa or Novak so Alcaraz is going to have more fluctuation.’
Carlos Alcaraz is a true entertainer
At times, it feels like Alcaraz actually prefers entertaining a crowd over actually claiming a win.
And it is exactly this suggestion that draws so much scrutiny from those who expect him to end up with 20 or more Grand Slam titles, come the end of his career.
For his fans and spectators, an enthralling match is always welcomed.
But for people like Jim Courier and Juan Carlos Ferrero, greatness is there for Alcaraz should he choose to take it.
He has been fortunate that, thus far in his career, the 22-year-old has been able to blend his flair for entertainment with tangible success. And yet, some argue that he needs to change this philosophy and truly focus on cementing his legacy.
Few seem to realise that it’s wholly possible to blaze his own, unique path, that both satisfies the crowd he loves to please and the team behind him.
Nadal, Djokovic and Federer are the level he aspires to reach, but he needs not mimic their journeys perfectly to achieve what they did.
