Carlos Alcaraz is a tennis sensation, but Nicolas Almagro believes Rafael Nadal‘s legacy is untouchable. People often compare Alcaraz to Nadal because both made waves in the tennis world as teenagers. Just like Nadal, who won the French Open at 19, Alcaraz claimed his first Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open.
Alcaraz has triumphed over Novak Djokovic twice in Wimbledon finals and also secured a victory at this year’s French Open. Yet, he still trails far behind Nadal’s 18 Grand Slam titles and 13 French Open victories. At just 21 years old, he has a long journey ahead to match those feats .
Fans might think it’s exciting to see how close Alcaraz can get to such records.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| es Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Comparisons and Challenges:
Marin Cilic recently commented that Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner haven’t reached the mental toughness of legends like Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic. Having played against these giants himself, Cilic’s insights carry weight. Meanwhile, former top-ten player Almagro shared on Radio Marca that even with Alcaraz around, he believes no one can surpass what Nadal achieved.
“We knew that sooner or later he would arrive,” said Almagro about Alcaraz. “But Rafa leaves a gap that’s hard to fill.”
Almagro feels that if injuries hadn’t plagued him, Nadal would’ve continued playing because he’s one of sports’ greatest gifts.
“If injuries had spared him,” mused Almagro about Nadal’s retirement decision due to health issues. “He is one of the greatest that a mother could have given to world sport.”
Facing off against Nadal at Roland-Garros was daunting for many players; it felt like entering an arena where winning seemed impossible.
“It was like going into his garden,” recalled another player about competing against Nadal at the French Open—an experience they cherish and share with future generations.
Nadal’s legacy isn’t just about wins; it’s built on hard work and values worthy of school lessons. What do you think? Can anyone ever match his greatness?
