Can Carlos Alcaraz really break certain records?

09/15/2024 01:00 PM

Having already achieved outstanding results at just 21, many fans and insiders wonder if Carlos Alcaraz will be able to reach the numbers of the Big 3. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have made tennis history and broken many records in the last 20 years, contributing greatly to bring this sport into a new dimension.

The young Spanish ace has already won four Majors and five Masters 1000 titles, becoming the youngest ever to win the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships in the same year. The former world number 1 is capable of hitting very high peaks and has a variety of game that has very few equals, but still has too many highs and lows during the season.

Despite winning two Grand Slam titles and a Masters 1000 in 2024, he is more than 4000 points away from Jannik Sinner. The current number 3 in the world will have to learn to be more consistent over the year to be able to aspire to certain records, but his results are absolutely crazy in relation to his age.

Meanwhile, Carlitos has helped his Spain to the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November. The four-time Grand Slam champion - despite not playing his best tennis - has won his singles over Tomas Machac and Ugo Humbert. In recent times, Alcaraz has confessed several times that he wants to become one of the best players of all time and is working hard to succeed in this very difficult feat.

In a recent interview with Sport Klub, Australian legend Paul McNamee talked about Carlitos’ future: “It will take 20 years for someone like Alcaraz to break Novak’s Grand Slam record – it’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely. So, in twenty years, Novak will be talked about as the greatest of all time. Forget all personal affinities, his biography is the greatest. An argument could be made that the Olympics are not that important, but I don’t think so, I think they were very important, especially for people who claimed that Novak was not the GOAT. It was definitely decided in Paris who is the GOAT.

Personally, I never called him the greatest until the Olympics, I said that everyone should finish their careers first, but the gold at the Olympics cemented Novak’s status already now. An enormous success, not only because of the gold, but also the way he got it – he played a fantastic match against an outstanding tennis player like Alcaraz.”

Last month was not easy for the four-time Grand Slam champion. The Spaniard lost the final of the Paris Olympics to Novak Djokovic, missing a great chance to win the gold medal for his country. The 21-year-old from Murcia suffered a terrible defeat, playing badly in both Cincinnati and the US Open. Alcaraz took a few days to relax after the disappointment in New York and returned in full force to the Davis Cup.

"It has been a great week with the matches and tie we have played. The tie against the Czech Republic was incredible, very intense, and this one with Roberto's match has also been amazing. Good feelings in terms of competition, matches, the tie, but above all a great atmosphere off the court as well. We have a very complete team made up of great players” – Carlos stated during the press conference.

“During practice days, we train at a high level of tennis, and off the court, we get along great. This creates an incredible atmosphere, and we all feel happy and motivate each other. It's a week that I needed considering the support from my fellow players and the Federation staff. The affection has been incredible. In Valencia, the atmosphere in each match has been incredible. Hopefully, we can play more often here at home. Every time I do, I enjoy it to the fullest. Valencia is a spectacular city, very beautiful, it deserves to host an ATP tournament again” – he concluded.

The Spanish ace will not have much more to defend in the last part of the season, as last year he suffered a sharp drop. Carlitos does not express his best tennis on the indoor hard court, but will necessarily improve in future. His next official tournament will be the ATP 500 in Beijing, where he lost to Sinner last year in the semi-finals. His main goals will be the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin and the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, where he hopes to play with Rafa Nadal again. The future of the 22-time Grand Slam champion is uncertain at the moment.