Mats Wilander Explains Why He Thinks Carlos Alcaraz is One of the GOATs

Carlos Alcaraz recently clinched his first Cincinnati Masters title after Jannik Sinner handed him the walkover due to sickness.

Mats Wilander Explains Why He Thinks Carlos Alcaraz is One of the GOATs

Mats Wilander, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Univers Tennis, Carlos Alcaraz 4k)

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Carlos Alcaraz has already become one of the GOATs (Greatest of All Time) according to Mats Wilander. The Swede suggested that the young Spaniard has made tennis more interesting.

This season, the 22-year-old has been enjoying nothing but good form. When his arch-rival Jannik Sinner was serving his three-month doping ban, Alcaraz was struggling to play consistent tennis, losing at the Qatar Open, Indian Wells, and the Miami Open, without reaching the final.

He was criticized for his work ethic, but when the clay swing started, the Murcia-native gave the critics no chance to criticize him, for he made it to four finals, losing the Barcelona Open to Holger Rune and winning the Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open, and the French Open.

After enjoying a three-day vacation in Ibiza, Alcaraz continued his winning ways by lifting his career’s fourth grass-court title at the Queen’s Club Championships. At Wimbledon then, he couldn’t cross the final hurdle in the form of Sinner, losing after tough four sets.

Alcaraz recently played the revamped US Open mixed doubles along with 2021 US Open singles champion Emma Raducanu. But the pair lost to the first seeds, Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula, in the first round.

At present, Alcaraz is focusing on the US Open singles title. Although Wilander picked Sinner to defend his crown at Flushing Meadows, he also ended up calling Alcaraz one of the GOATs. He told TNT Sports:

And I think already he’s on his way to become one of the greatest of all time. And as long as we only have Jannik Sinner there as a serious challenger – because in the last few years, that seems to be the case- I think that we have to talk about Carlitos Alcaraz as one of the greats of our sport.

Alcaraz could once again schedule a blockbuster final against the four-time Grand Slam champion if they both progress to the US Open final, as they will be second and first seeds, respectively. If this happens, then they will meet each other for the fifth time this season after their meeting in Rome, Paris, London, and Cincinnati.

Of course, Novak Djokovic is still in there, but it can’t be long before he’s done, I would think. But somehow the excitement level is as high, and you have to thank Carlos Alcaraz for that. So to me, he’s already one of the greatest players of all time because of the interest level. Is he one of the best of all time? We’ll know in five, six, seven years.

Mats Wilander added

In Cincinnati, Sinner retired mid-match because of sickness. He failed to defend his title while Alcaraz became a champion here for the first time in his career.

Emma Raducanu sends a message after playing the US Open mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz

Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz participated in a Grand Slam mixed doubles for the very first time in their careers. They wouldn’t have joined forces if it hadn’t been for the revamped US Open mixed doubles, which was held for two days during the qualifying week. After their campaign, Raducanu took to social media and thanked Alcaraz.

Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu
Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu (via Tennis)

Crazy!! @carlitosalcarazz gracias partner, had so much fun.

Check out the post here:

Raducanu and Alcaraz are just “friends”. But in the eyes of many fans, they are a ‘couple,’ though both of them have denied romance rumors. They have greatly enjoyed each other’s company in the mixed doubles, and this only added fuel to the romance speculation.

Raducanu has enjoyed decent campaigns on the North American hardcourt swing. She reached the semifinals of the Citi Open (lost to Anna Kalinskaya) and fell in the third round of the Canadian Open (lost to Amanda Anisimova). In the Cincinnati Masters, she suffered a three-set defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.

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