‘I Want to Be Like Rafael Nadal’- When 13YO Carlos Alcaraz Made His Grand Ambitions Crystal Clear

Is Carlitos the ‘new Rafa’? Well, the 20-year-old Spaniard has drawn several comparisons with the 37-year-old legend of the game over the last few months. Why not? They come from the same country and have tasted success at a very young age. Recently, a 7-year-old video surfaced on the internet where the 13-year-old Carlos Alcaraz was seen admiring his compatriot, Rafael Nadal.

Carlos Alcaraz hasn’t kept any secret about his admiration for the left-handed Mallorcan. The 2 time Grand Slam winner has always dreamt big right from his childhood. Let’s find out what 13YO kid has in his mind.

Carlos Alcaraz wants to be like Rafael Nadal

Seven years ago, Alcaraz appeared in the U-14 stage of the Rafael Nadal Tour for junior players in Spain. During that tournament, he gave an interview when he said he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal. “I want to be top 10 in the world. I want to be like Rafa Nadal because he trains very hard, sacrifices himself & puts in a lot of effort,” Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz started playing tennis at the age of 4 and he became a professional player just 5 years ago. Alcaraz made his debut at the ATP main draw at the age of 16 in 2020 and since then he has managed to achieve quite a few records. He is the youngest player to reach the top 10 of the ATP rankings since Rafael Nadal in 2005. Alcaraz then went on to become the first teenager in the Open Era to reach the top of the ATP rankings at the age of 19 years 4 months and 6 days old.

The 13-year-old kid was already clear about his ambitions. He finally managed to break into the top 10 when he won the Barcelona Open in 2022. The world number 2 has taken the tennis world by storm with his heroics at such an early age. He is now labeled as the next biggest thing in the racket sport.

Similarities between Alcaraz and Nadal

Though there might be a 17-year age difference between them when it comes to their playing style, the tennis world feels there is a lot in common. The same explosive die-hard nature, stunning forehands, deadly volleys, and dominance on the court. Alcaraz is also the youngest player to represent Spain in the Davis Cup, since Rafael Nadal. He needs to get 20 more Grand Slams to reach Nadal’s height, but he has already got the praise of experts in the game.

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Carlos Alcaraz was only 4 years old when Novak Djokovic won his first Grand Slam title. Now, even the 24 Grand Slam title holder admitted Alcaraz reminds him of the other left-handed Spaniard. The famous French tennis coach, Patrick Mouratoglou called Alcaraz a modern version of Rafael Nadal.

The comparison between the two began since they share the same nationality. Now, fans are eager to see how far can this 20YO superstar reach in fulfilling his dream to become like Rafael Nadal.

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