Carlos Alcaraz has denied any resemblance to the recently retiring Rafael Nadal and maintained that his renowned countryman is a difficult person to emulate
Carlos Alcaraz, a two-time Wimbledon champion, has publicly rejected the notion of becoming Rafael Nadal’s successor, saying, “I don’t want to see myself as Rafa’s replacement.”
Even though Alcaraz, who is 21 years old and has already won four grand slam titles—including back-to-back Wimbledon victories and significant victories at the French and US Opens—chooses to stay grounded. Alcaraz doesn’t consider himself as the one to replace the tennis legend, even though his countryman is retiring with an incredible 22 titles.
In an interview on a French television program, Alcaraz expressed his admiration for Nadal. He acknowledged him as a major inspiration, but he also downplayed any idea that he could replace him as Spain’s top tennis player since he thinks he will never be able to match him.
“Rafa’s retirement is a shame for Spanish sports, for sports in general, for me,” Alcaraz stated. “One of the reasons I wanted to play professional tennis was because I grew up watching Rafa. I am grateful to him for motivating me to continue training and fighting.
“I don’t want to see myself as Rafa’s replacement, I come out losing because of everything he has done for tennis, for sports in Spain.”
Alcaraz shares Nadal’s enduring passion for the French Open. With an astounding 14 wins in Paris, Nadal is the player with the most victories at Roland Garros.
Alcaraz has also stated that the tournament has a particular “place in his heart” after winning his first tournament championship in Paris this year by defeating German Alexander Zverev in an exciting encounter.
The world’s top events are held in Paris, a stunning city. I enjoy playing here. It holds a special place in my heart. It’s the tournament I watched as a child, I was very excited to be able to participate and win it someday,” he said.
“When I won it, those beautiful moments of watching it at home came back to me. After seeing Rafa win it so many times, I wanted to put my name on the list of Roland Garros winners.”
Despite his affection for the city, the world No.2 was eliminated from this week’s Paris Masters in the last 16. He later grumbled that the court was too fast, making it challenging to train for the right conditions.
Alcaraz commented after losing to Ugo Humbert in a thrilling three-set match on Thursday, October 31: “This is crazy. I’m not sure. perhaps the fastest player (Court) in this competition over the past ten years.”
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