“I don’t even know if Roger Federer played like Carlos at 20,” Feliciano Lopez urges Carlos Alcaraz be kept free of Big-3 comparison to help him evolve

Carlos Alcaraz ended the 2023 season as the World No. 2.

“I don’t even know if Roger Federer played like Carlos at 20,” Feliciano Lopez urges Carlos Alcaraz be kept free of Big-3 comparison to help him evolve

Carlos Alcaraz (L), Big-3 (R) (Sources: Vogue, Tennis Infinity)

In a recent interview, former Spanish player Feliciano Lopez urged fans not to compare Carlos Alcaraz to the Big-3 as yet. The 42-year-old, who retired recently, praised the young Spanish player highly and mentioned that he is probably a much better player than what the Big-3 were at his age but added that comparing them would be unjust and also stated some logical reasons for the same. 

Lopez believes that Alcaraz should be kept free from the Big-3 comparison because he has incredible potential, and the added pressure of reaching the level of greatness of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic should not worry him so early in his career.

Moreover, although the Spaniard is a very good player, he is not at the level of the Big 3 yet, as they have always been in a league of their own. Thus, there’s a lot of time left before the fans can even start to consider this comparison. 

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How do you tell someone who dreams of being a tennis player, who dreams of winning a Grand Slam, that there is a guy, Nadal, who has won Roland Garros 14 times. Let's enjoy Alcaraz, his career. And if he wins 10, 12 or 13 times, time will tell. But let's appreciate what he does. I've never seen someone his age play so well, I don't even know if Roger Federer played like Carlos at 20.
Feliciano Lopez in his interview by the daily AS

Carlos Alcaraz set to take part in the 2024 Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz has started off his career pretty well, though. He is currently the No. 2 ranked player in the world and has won two Grand Slam titles. He won the 2022 US Open and the 2023 Wimbledon sensationally by beating Novak Djokovic in the final. He must continue these consistent performances before fans can start comparing him to the Big-3. 

After a disappointing end to the season, Alcaraz will return to the court for the 2024 Australian Open, which will be played between January 24 and January 28, 2024. The Spaniard received a sensational start to the 2023 season but got exhausted by the end of it and his performances deteriorated considerably. 

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Source: Daily Express)

Alcaraz won the Wimbledon, Indian Wells, Madrid Masters, Queens Club Championship and ATP Buenos Aires in 2023. Apart from this, he also reached the finals of the Cincinnati Open and the Rio Open. The Spaniard will definitely look to rejuvenate himself in the upcoming season, starting with the 2023 Australian Open. He will work towards realizing his dream of becoming the year-end World No. 1 this year. 

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