Wimbledon stars all agreed on what tennis rival Carlos Alcaraz is truly like
Carlos Alcaraz has rapidly ascended to the upper echelons of the ATP Tour. In his burgeoning career, the 22-year-old Spanish tennis sensation has amassed an impressive five Grand Slam titles.
With two Wimbledon victories, a duo of French Open triumphs and a maiden major win at the US Open in 2022, Alcaraz's prowess on the court is undeniable. Yet, it's not just his skill with a racket that earns him plaudits.
Tennis legends such as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have also praised his character off the court, as have some of his other contemporaries. Mirror Sport takes a look at some of the superstars who hold Alcaraz in high esteem.
Novak Djokovic
Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid earlier this year, the iconic Djokovic didn't just laud Alcaraz for his championship qualities but also highlighted the respect he holds for him as an individual.
"He's a wonderful person with great values. A family with [coach] Juan Carlos Ferrero, a team of great people," said 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic.
"That's more important than anything. He's an extraordinary champion, still young but already with many trophies and successes. As a person, I also like him very much."
Rafael Nadal
Despite retiring in 2024 after facing Alcaraz only three times and defeating him twice, Nadal admires his compatriot's passion-driven approach.
In a conversation with Eurosport, Nadal expressed his admiration, saying: "As everybody knows, it's amazing. What he is doing is fantastic so well done for him and I wish him all the very best. He is doing a lot of things similar to me.
"He is young, he has the passion and the energy. He has every single thing to become a huge star. I'm like a Spanish spectator, personally I'm happy to have someone like him to stay on the tour for a long time and achieve a lot of things."
Jannik Sinner
Italian Jannik Sinner, who boasts three major titles himself, admits he feels a personal connection with his kind rival and believes that they are very similar behind the scenes.
"I feel like we are quite similar as human beings off the court," he elaborated on their relationship. "I have the feeling that he likes to surround himself with the close people, which I do. I mean it's, for us, how we live is very normal, let's say, you know.
"Then, obviously, on the court we try to beat, we try to put on a big fight, you know, like we always do, and we always try. Then at least he pushes me to do better, you know, which is something good."
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, a former top-25 player from Spain, also commended Alcaraz's upbringing and character, highlighting the impactful role of his coach and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
"They've brought him up with great values," he admitted. "But, having an ex-world No. 1 like Juanki as a coach is also an advantage for him. Because he helps him by telling him how to progress and how to act."
Roberto Bautista Agut
Another Spanish tennis ace, Roberto Bautista Agut, also commended Ferrero's guiding hand, remarking that Alcaraz is an admirable and humble character.
"He's a charming and humble kid," he stated. "His coach is doing a phenomenal job of guiding him in that regard because he's been through the same thing. I'm so happy that everything is going so well for them."
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