But as he has aged and health problems have surfaced, there has been a renewed call, particularly since Roger Federer’s retirement, for a new talent prepared to take over and occupy these positions.
Carlos Alcaraz, who has since become one of the sport’s most electrifying breakthrough stars in recent memory, was quietly developing at the same time.
At such a young age, he has come extremely close to winning it all, and he is well on his path to being as great as Rafael Nadal and his two formidable adversaries.
Since then, the illustrious veteran has talked about his countryman and what he hopes to see from him in the years to come.
Carlos Alcaraz’s future is bright, according to Rafael Nadal
Even though his statements about Alcaraz were brief, they are nevertheless quite significant.
The 21-year-old is, after all, regarded as the great Spaniard’s heir apparent, and their all-action style of tennis bears some similarities.
The 37-year-old was able to witness firsthand what the future held for tennis in his nation during their shared time on the court during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which only served to fuel the flames.
And now, he has declared confidently, “I am convinced Carlos Alcaraz will become one of the best in tennis history,” in an interview for El Hormiguero.
Carlos Alcaraz is quickly gaining ground on the Big Three.
Arguments that he was born into a simpler time will inevitably surface, and few would contest that assertion.
That will probably not be a widely accepted idea in many years, though.
The sheer quantity of championships and Grand Slams won will live on in the memory of the public, and Alcaraz is now on track to surpass the illustrious trio that came before him.
The ace Spanish player has already won four major championships at his age.
Federer had just won his first Wimbledon title in 2003, at the age of twenty-one.
At age 21, Nadal had achieved three Grand Slam victories, all of which came at Roland Garros.
Despite being a late bloomer in comparison to his illustrious rivals, Novak Djokovic has exceeded them all in terms of major victories at this point, having only won his second Grand Slam championship at the age of 24.
Because of his incredibly high skill for a young player, Alcaraz has the ability to break all of these records.
The most alarming thing is that he probably won’t get any better.
This is how Alcaraz’s Grand Slam record stands in comparison to those of Federer, Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal as of the US Open.