“He could be the next,” Mats Wilander admits Carlos Alcaraz could be the next Novak Djokovic
Alcaraz has grown to become a formidable force in men's tennis.
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L-R: Carlos Alcaraz, Mats Wilander and Novak Djokovic (Via Imago)
Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev on Sunday to claim his maiden French Open title. The 21-year-old has risen to become a formidable force in men’s tennis over the years despite his age. On account of this victory, tennis legend Mats Wilander has predicted the Spaniard to take the place of Novak Djokovic in the sport.
Djokovic is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and has made countless records in the competition. Recently, he broke Roger Federer’s record at the French Open by earning his 370th Grand Slam career win. Though he withdrew from the tournament due to injury, his legacy will be remembered for ages.
On the other hand, Alcaraz has won three Grand Slam titles at just 21. This season, he claimed his first title after successfully defending his Indian Wells Masters. He suffered a forearm injury that saw him miss the Monte Carlo, Barcelona Open, and Italian Open. But he returned to the French Open as though he never left, playing with extraordinary excellence.
He overcame World No.4 Zverev in an epic five-set thriller 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the Roland Garros title. In the process, Alcaraz became the youngest man to win Grand Slam titles on all three surfaces, giving the notion for Mats Wilander’s recent Djokovic comparison.
We’re looking at a multiple, multiple Grand Slam champion. This could be [the] next Novak Djokovic for all we know. We need Carlos Alcaraz more than anything in our sport right now. And I think for him to be relevant, I think he needs to keep winning maybe one Major every year. If he does that, he’s gonna stay relevant and he’s gonna change our sport in many ways, the way that people look at tennis because he’s such a breath of fresh air.Mats Wilander said via Eurosport
Alcaraz will be hoping to continue with his form into the Wimbledon, where he is the defending champion. The 21-year-old will play in the Queen’s tournament before the championship.
Tim Henman praises Carlos Alcaraz’s mental strength after winning five-set epic Roland Garros final
The praise train won’t be stopping soon for Alcaraz. Tim Henman has hailed Carlos Alcaraz’s mental strength in the final game against Alexander Zverev. The 21-year-old was down 2-1 in the third set but won the remaining two sets to come out on top.
The Spaniard also did the same against Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, where he came from behind to win the match in a five-set thriller.
Down two sets to one you’re thinking ‘Well this is going to be difficult’ but the way he responded to dominate proceedings, it’s a phenomenal effort.Tim Henman said per Eurosport
Additionally, Alcaraz leapfrogged Djokovic to No.2 in the ATP rankings. The Serbian lost his No.1 place after withdrawing from the French Open.
In case you missed it:
- “I could’ve lost the fifth set honestly,” Carlos Alcaraz admits playing against Alexander Zverev in Roland Garros final was ‘tricky’
- “Would have been better if I had won,” Roger Federer explains one of the biggest losses of his career at the 2008 Wimbledon final
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Victor Okechukwu
(690 Articles Published)