“This young man will inspire so many kids around the world to develop an all court game at a young age,” Serena Williams’ childhood coach and Hall of Famer Rick Macci said two years ago, praising Carlos Alcaraz after he initially impressed with a Slam victory, aged 19, at the US Open. He became the World No.1 around the same time as well and was the youngest to do so. Fast forward to 2025, and Macci is still sticking by his words, although Alcaraz’s form has been a bit up and down. He has, in fact, added to his praise of Alcaraz by drawing a parallel with the big three of tennis – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. And this newfound appreciation comes after the Spaniard’s scintillating run at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Last month was a mixed bag for Alcaraz. He reached his third straight Indian Wells SF, but being a two-time defending champion, many expected him to clinch the event for a third successive time. The Spaniard lost to Jack Draper. And then his form dipped further in Miami. He was ousted in the opening round by Belgian pro David Goffin. But the four-time Slam champion knows how to make a comeback. At the Monte Carlo Masters, he has put on a show so far, eventually sealing his spot in the final of the ATP 1000 Masters event in The Principality for the first time. On Saturday, he beat compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the SF.

After Alcaraz’s impressive Monte Carlo journey this week, Macci couldn’t resist praising him. Calling the 21-year-old an artist on the tennis court, he wrote on X that Alcaraz “sees the game thru a different lens. What is low % for another is not for the Spanish Brother. Carlos paints the game with a unique Brush and at 21 there is no Rush.”

Further, he even compared the Spaniard with the likes of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. “His creative game will get so much BETTER and it has elements of RAFA JOKER and FEDERER,” Macci added.

But guess what? It’s not the first time Macci has put Alcaraz on the same level as the Big Three. Back in November 2023, he made a wild prediction about the Spaniard, saying he would clinch “a bucket of Grand Slams”. And he did as well. In 2024, Alcaraz won two Majors. Firstly, he won his maiden French Open and then defended his 2023 Wimbledon crown, defeating a repeat opponent (Djokovic) in the summit clash.

Macci also mentioned that according to him, “He (Alcaraz) is a combination of, I tell everybody, (Roger) Federer, (Rafael) Nadal, Djokovic, and (Andre) Agassi, all wrapped in one. He has make-up speed like no other. Once he hits that other gear his turbo speed is amazing.”

On Sunday, Alcaraz will be on the brink of clinching his sixth ATP 1000 Masters title. Ahead of the championship battle, he shared his feelings on making it to the finals of a Masters 1000 event after a long time!

Carlos Alcaraz on his emphatic Monte Carlo Masters campaign

For the unversed, Saturday’s victory over Fokina marked Carlos Alcaraz‘s first Masters 1000 final in 13 months. The last time he did it was during the 2024 Indian Wells, where he eventually became the winner too. “It’s been a long time,” he said as reported by ATP’s website on April 12.

Continuing further, he added, “I just had to be patient and believe that this moment was going to come again. Sometimes the people are not patient, they want me to make the final in every tournament. I’m really happy to give them the chance to watch one of my finals again.”

In case he wins Sunday’s epic final, Alcaraz will also witness a boost in the rankings. He will surpass Alexander Zverev for the No.2 spot in the world rankings. By reaching the title clash, he’s already moved ahead of Jannik Sinner to No.1 in the ATP Live Race To Turin. The big Monte Carlo match will be Alcaraz’s third consecutive final on clay court after last season’s French Open and Paris Olympics, where he won a silver medal against Djokovic.

Alcaraz’s opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, is going to play his maiden ATP 1000 Masters final. In h2h encounters, the Spaniard is already leading 3-1 so far, which means he has an edge over his opponent. It will be intriguing to see who emerges as the eventual Monte Carlo Masters champion in The Principality. What’s your prediction? Let us know in the comments below.