'He has accomplished more than any of us: Novak Djokovic Lavishes High Praise on Carlos Alcaraz, Comparing Him to Federer, Nadal, and Himself

As the Big 3's reign continued for an eternity, the current generation of Tennis players have the daunting task of living up to the standards set by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Among the legends of tomorrow, Carlos Alcaraz's name rings the loudest. The Spaniard has claimed 4 Grand Slam titles already in his career, and he is yet to reach 22 years of age. Having showcased maturity at the biggest of stages, that too consistently, Alcaraz has left no doubt in the mind of Djokovic that he has reached the level of the all-time greats.

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Novak Djokovic Heaps Praise on Carlos Alcaraz

“He has already reached the tennis level,” said Djokovic when asked if Alcaraz was performing at a level to match the best players of all time.

“With the results at this age, it can be said that he has accomplished more than any of us (Djokovic, Federer and Nadal) did at that age, but he has a career ahead of him and plenty of time; he has everything needed to make history, to become the greatest in our sport.

“His absence [from the Madrid Open] is not good news for the tournament. Over the last two or three years, Carlos has been the number one star here with the Spanish fans, who give him tremendous support. 

Alcaraz won his maiden title in Monte Carlo, and just a couple of days later he played in Barcelona reaching another final. The gruelling activity may affect him physically.

While he gave Alcaraz his flowers, but also made it known that the level of consistency that was witnessed during his era may not be replicated by the next generation.

“It is true that Rafa dominated the clay court season, Roger the grass, and I the hard court season,” he said, reflecting on his own era.

“Personally, I believe that level of tennis and dominance came to me at 23 or 24, not before. And Alcaraz is not even 23 years old yet, we have to remember that what he has achieved at his age is not normal. And I assume we will continue to see him winning big trophies for as long as he is a professional player.

“It’s difficult to compare eras. The last 20 years were dominated by the four of us (Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Andy Murray). When my biggest rivals retired, there was a gap with the new generation. And many people have struggled to accept that Federer or Nadal are no longer playing. But I am still here, trying to represent my generation.”