Over the past few years on the ATP tour, there have been few players who managed to set the right kind of expectations amongst the fans when it comes to the herculean task of defeating the Big-3. One such youngster who came to the limelight and turned the entire attention towards over the last couple of months is Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.
The teenage sensation reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells and went on to clinch the Miami Open title. On Friday, Alcaraz pulled off the biggest achievement of his career; when he stunned legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal in a three-set quarter-final encounter at the Mutua Madrid Open.
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Martina Navratilova compares Carlos Alcaraz to Novak Djokovic
However, to achieve glory at Madrid, more trouble awaits the young Spaniard. In the semis, Alcaraz would face Novak Djokovic and it’s their first meeting on the ATP tour. Ahead of this intriguing match-up, legendary tennis player Martina Navratilova weighed in on the Spanish sensation and compared his game to that of Djokovic.
“For me he’s a better version of Djokovic. He moves like Novak but he hits a better ball out wide. More powerful than I’ve ever seen. He’s defying the laws of gravity out there.”
Building up to Alcaraz vs. Djokovic on @PrimeVideoSport, Martina Navratilova just said to Catherine:
‘For me he’s a better version of Djokovic. He moves like Novak but he hits a better ball out wide. More powerful than I’ve ever seen. He’s defying the laws of gravity out there.’
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) May 7, 2022
From what he showed so far, Alcaraz appeared to possess the best of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. The Spaniard can be an aggressive baseliner, shock opponents with his unexpected drop shots and yet can play clutch when the situation demands.
Also read: ‘I Don’t Care Who’s on the Other Side’- Novak Djokovic Says He’s Ready for Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz would meet either Alexander Zverev or Stefanos Tsitsipas if he wins past Djokovic
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Even though it’s too soon to make large predictions about Carlos‘ future, it’s safe to say that he is working hard to make it big on the ATP tour and will definitely be a huge contender for the French Open if he manages to stun Djokovic and win the Madrid Open eventually.
If Alcaraz manages to get past Novak, he will either meet Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexander Zverev in the final. Despite making it to the final four, neither Zverev nor Tsitsipas have found top gear so far this season. And will face stiff competition from an in-form Carlos in the championship battle.
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Watch this story: The Greatest Comebacks in Tennis