Jimmy Connors praises Carlos Alcaraz for his ‘attitude and giving it all’ on and off the court, dubs the Spaniard as the ‘seller’ of the sport

The 20-year-old is widely applauded for his passion, demeanor, and the energy he brings to the game.

Jimmy Connors praises Carlos Alcaraz for his ‘attitude and giving it all’ on and off the court, dubs the Spaniard as the ‘seller’ of the sport

(L) Jimmy Connors; (R) Carlos Alcaraz (Images via: Bleacher Report, Tennis.com)

Retired tennis professional and former World No.1, Jimmy Connors recently heaped praises on Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz, for his approach to the sport of tennis, both while being on the court or when he is away from it. As a rising tennis star, the Spaniard has established himself in the sport in the last two years with two Grand Slam victories before reaching the age of 21.

The 20-year-old, who is also the youngest World No.1 in Men’s tennis history, is already on his way to dethrone Rafael Nadal, becoming the player with the most ATP Masters 1000 wins. The 20-year-old is also widely applauded for his passion, demeanor, and the energy he brings to the game. American legend, Jimmy Connors, became the latest personality to express admiration for the Spaniard’s attitude.

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“I like his attitude. I like his attitude, not just the way he talks off the field, but also the way he is on the field, the way he gives his all,” the 71-year-old said in his podcast, Advantage Connors. “I keep saying this is what players get paid for. They have to give it their all, and that’s what Carlos does,” he claimed as he talked about 20-year-old Alcaraz.

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“And I love seeing that – these guys who dig in, who get in it, who get dirty and who know what it means to be the best player in the world or to win a major tournament; they know what it means for them personally, but also for tennis in general. It helps carry the game,” the 8-times singles Grand Slam title holder said.

“These young players are the sellers of tennis today,” he claimed further as he discussed the rise of younger players like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the sport today. The current World No.2, Alcaraz is seen by many as the face of the younger generation of tennis players.

Explore: Ben Shelton confesses to ‘looking up’ to Jannik Sinner as he lauds praise on the Italian following their Shanghai clash

Jimmy Connors warns Carlos Alcaraz from thinking about Novak Djokovic ‘all the time’

While Novak Djokovic snatched back the World No.1 spot from Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open 2023, the Spaniard claims that Djokovic is always on his mind during practice. The several battles between both players have proved over time that they are each other toughest competitors on the tour. “I think about Djokovic almost in every practice, I am not going to lie,” he said to ATP.

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz (Image via Open Source)

Carlos also admitted that Novak is a leading factor in his training. “He is 100 percent focused. I watch his practice, his movement, and the way he trains and plays and it is something I want. He puts 100 percent in every practice and game and it is something I am trying in my game,” he said.

Warning the Spaniard, Connors said, “My first thought on this is that I can understand it even though Alcaraz beat Novak at Wimbledon and he was a bit of a thorn in his side. You have to be careful saying that, because then you’re only preparing for one player.”

“And I also understand that you say to yourself that if I play well enough to beat this guy…other guys have different games, like he saw with Sinner, and the way he plays is different than Novak or Medvedev,” Connors stated, further explaining his claim.

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