ATP Youngster Claims Carlos Alcaraz’s Dominance Could be “Detrimental” for Spanish Players on Tour

ATP youngster Daniel Merida claims Carlos Alcaraz could be hurting the rest of Spanish tennis. The 21-year-old, who has a good relationship with Alcaraz pointed out that the reason for that is because of the over hyped comparison between any rising young player and Alcaraz by the Spanish press.

In every sport, there has been a level of comparison between top players, especially if they come from the same country. In tennis, several pundits and former players have compared Alcaraz to tennis great Rafael Nadal on so many occasions. In fact, last year, Alcaraz admitted he didn’t want to be compared with Nadal.

This year, several young players from Spain have made their mark on tour. They have shown a desire to compete at the top level of the sport. Rafa Jodar, Martin Landaluce, and Merida have been the ones who have caught the attention of the media. Jodar won his maiden ATP title at the 250-level tournament in Marrakesh.

Last week, he was handed a wildcard for the Barcelona Open and stunned the tennis world by reaching the semi-finals. Landaluce reached the quarter-finals of the Miami Open for the first time in his career before losing to runner-up Jiri Lehecka. Merida is set to break into the top 100, he reached the final of the ATP 250 tournament in Bucharest earlier this month.

However, these players have been compared to Alcaraz by the press. In fact, some analysts have already chosen who is likely to follow in the footsteps of Alcaraz, who has won seven Grand Slams in his career. This comparison sets undue pressure and too many expectations on them. During an interview with Mundodepotivo, Merida says the comparison is detrimental to Spanish tennis:

All Spanish tennis players who stand out at a young age face pressure; they quickly start being compared to people like Rafa [Nadal], Carlos, who are players who have done something unusual like being number 1 at 18 years old. I’ve tried to get rid of those comparisons, not put pressure on myself, and little by little I’ve been handling them better…It’s both. It helps me because I see him and it motivates me, but I think it’s somewhat detrimental in general…

Merida, Landaluce, and Jodar will all participate in the Madrid Open this week. The former will play in the qualifiers of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament, while Landaluce and Jodar have earned their place in the draw. Jodar will face Jesper De Jong in the first round on Wednesday (April 22), while Landaluce takes on Adam Walton.

David Merida says Carlos Alcaraz has a fantastic personality on tour

Carlos Alcaraz is just one year older than Daniel Merida, but the gap between them is so wide. The former is ranked World No.2, while the later is World No.102. The pair have never met in a tour-level event due to the gap in their ranking positions. Merida is rising in the ATP rankings and hopes to utilize this clay season.

Besides that, Alcaraz is one of the most likeable players on tour. The Spaniard has a friendly character even after he loses a match. He rarely offends his opponent on the court and gives respect to them. During the aforementioned interview, Merida admitted that Alcaraz has a fantastic personality:

With Carlos, since he was a year older, we crossed paths on the junior circuits. He’s a fantastic person then and now. Rafa and Martín are the same; they’re both amazing players and truly great people.

Alcaraz will not compete at the Madrid Open following a wrist injury he sustained at the Barcelona Open. This is the second consecutive season that he has left the Barcelona Open with an injury. He only played one match in Barcelona before pulling out the following day after test results.

Also Read: Boris Becker Draws Compares Carlos Alcaraz’s Physical Strain to Jannik Sinner’s Efficiency on Tour

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