Boris Becker Says Carlos Alcaraz Has Something That “No Other Player in the History” of Tennis Has

Carlos Alcaraz claimed his fifth Grand Slam after coming from behind to beat Jannik Sinner at the Roland Garros final.

Boris Becker Says Carlos Alcaraz Has Something That “No Other Player in the History” of Tennis Has

Carlos Alcaraz and Boris Becker (via X/Carlos Alcaraz/BBC)

The debate on who should be regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time has brought many names into contention. From Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic to Rafael Nadal, tennis legend Boris Becker has just added Carlos Alcaraz to the list after claiming that he has a quality no player in the history of the sport has had.

Alcaraz made headlines after claiming his fifth Grand Slam at the French Open. The Roland Garros final went down in history as one of the most exciting and high-class major finals as Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in five hours and 29 minutes, which is the longest final of the tournament’s history.

Also, Alcaraz has been dominant on the clay court this season. He only lost one match in four tournaments during the clay swing. He claimed his first Monte Carlo Masters after beating Lorenzo Musetti, then he lifted his maiden Italian Open after beating Sinner in the final. His only loss was against Holger Rune in the final of the Barcelona Open.

The Spaniard has earned high praise this season for his fighting spirit and resilience on the court. The World No.2, who turned 22 last month now has five Grand Slam titles to his name following his triumph at the Roland Garros. Also, he has previously held the No.1 spot for 12 weeks and is currently 2,080 points away from Sinner in the No.1 spot.

During a conversation with former WTA player Andrea Petkovic, Boris Becker revealed on a podcast via Eurosport that Alcaraz is the best player in history with a variety of shots and power. He also added that the 22-year-old is a genius:

The variation, the power, the feel for the ball – I don’t know of any player in the history of tennis who has that combination. He’s still in seventh gear. For me, he’s a genius. When he’s challenged, fit, and motivated, he finds another level that no other player in the world has. The whole world is talking about Alcaraz and Sinner, that’s a huge compliment for our sport.

Alcaraz flew to Ibiza for a short vacation after the Roland Garros triumph. The Spaniard has a two-month hectic schedule on tour and will now aim to recharge before the grass-court season. He’s expected to open his account at the Queen’s Club Championships, but there’s a likelihood he might skip it and head straight to Wimbledon.

Boris Becker says Jannik Sinner will need a full year to recover from his loss to Carlos Alcaraz

The major moment between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the Roland Garros final was when the latter led 5-3 (40-0) in the fourth set and was ready to serve for the match. However, the Italian star squandered three match points, which led to Alcaraz rallying back into the match and winning in five sets.

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (2)
Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Univers Tennis)

During the aforementioned conversation, Boris Becker said that Sinner will need a year to fully recover from the loss against Alcaraz. The 57-year-old added that even if he performs well in other tournaments, the defeat will be on his mind:

The whole world is talking about Alcaraz and Sinner, that’s a huge compliment for our sport. Sinner needs a year to recover from it. Until he’s back on this court, at this tournament. Even if he plays well until then, this defeat will still be on his mind for another year.

Alcaraz and Sinner will shift their focus to the grass-court season. They will both feature at the Wimbledon Championship, which starts on June 30. Alcaraz is bidding to win the title for the third year in a row.

Also read: John McEnroe Highlights Two Advantages Novak Djokovic has Over Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz