Rafael Nadal has expressed his belief that Carlos Alcaraz, the current World No. 3, is destined to become one of the greatest tennis players in history.
Alcaraz, who will make his Olympics debut in Paris this weekend, has quickly risen to prominence since his ATP debut four years ago. At just 21 years old, he has already won four Grand Slam titles, including the recent Wimbledon men’s title.
As Alcaraz prepares to compete in both singles and doubles at the Stade Roland Garros, he will also achieve a personal milestone by partnering with Nadal in the men’s doubles tournament.
This collaboration marks a significant moment for Alcaraz, who has admired Nadal, a tennis veteran and former World No. 1, throughout his career. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, is particularly renowned for his record 14 French Open titles.
Nadal, speaking to Onda Cero, lauded Alcaraz’s potential:
“I think he [Carlos Alcaraz] is a player predestined to be one of the best in history.”
This isn’t the first time Nadal has spoken highly of Alcaraz, having previously predicted his future success before their 2022 Madrid Open encounter.
Alcaraz’s rapid ascent in the tennis world is marked by victories over top players such as Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Nadal himself. As they prepare for the Olympics, Nadal and Alcaraz have been training intensively to hone their doubles strategy, despite the challenges posed by their different playing schedules.
On the opening day of the Olympics, Alcaraz will face Hady Habib of Lebanon in singles and later team up with Nadal in doubles against Argentinians Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. Despite anticipating difficulties, Nadal remains optimistic about their performance, fueled by their excitement and dedication to the sport.
