“Alcaraz looks more like Federer than Nadal. Rafa can’t…”

Carlos Alcaraz has reached the world tennis elite to stay. At 19 years old, the Murcian has a Grand Slam title, three Masters 1000s and world number 1, some numbers that make us think that we are dealing with a player who is called to go down in history and put his name next to legends like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal.

Exactly, about its similarities with the Swiss and the Balearic Islands, a person familiar with the subject spoke: Paul Annacone. Current coach Taylor Fritz has followed in the footsteps of Sampras and Federer, whom he sees as similar to Charly.

“Alcaraz looks more like Federer than Nadal. Rafa didn’t hit the ball that early at one point at 19. Couldn’t get ahead of the track like that. Instead, Roger always tried to be on the bottom line, as if he always had time to hit the ball, like Carlos does,” he said in an interview with The New York Times.

Annacone was full of praise for the new world number 1, who he considers “the most complete 19-year-old I can remember.”. For the American coach “what is really interesting is to see someone with such athletic ability, with his sprint, jump, explosiveness and flexibility, but at the same time with the ability to have hand-eye coordination to catch the ball from at the beginning. , step forward and volley. Also, he can come back and change the course. He can do everything.”

One of Carlos Alcaraz’s pending issues is never being able to play against Roger Federerwho also spoke of the wonders of the Spanish tennis player.

“I closely followed everything he did at the US Open and throughout the season. He is an amazing tennis player and the clear example of what I always say about the emergence of new superstars. He is one of them, his game is very smart,” the Swiss legend said a few weeks ago.