Bjorn Borg predicts whether Carlos Alcaraz will match or surpass Rafael Nadal’s achievements
Tennis icon Bjorn Borg has addressed the prospect of Carlos Alcaraz matching the staggering accomplishments of his legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz, who will turn 22 next month, has already hit remarkable heights in his young career to date.
The Murcian became the youngest player in ATP history to attain the world No 1 ranking when he won his maiden Grand Slam crown at the 2022 US Open as a 19-year-old.
He has since won Wimbledon twice (2023 and 2024) and the French Open once (2024) to take his major title tally to four.
Alcaraz’s victory at last week’s Monte Carlo Masters was his sixth Masters 1000 title and 18th tournament win overall.
If Alcaraz wins either of the next two editions of the Australian Open, he will become the youngest man to achieve the Career Grand Slam in the Open Era.
The record is held by Nadal, who completed the set of four majors when he won his first US Open title in 2010 at the age of 24.
Nadal won 92 ATP singles titles, including 22 Grand Slams, during a glorious career spanning from 2001 to 2024.
Speaking to RTVE at the Barcelona Open, Borg — who won 11 major titles — backed Alcaraz to emulate, or even surpass, Nadal.
“I believe that Alcaraz will achieve the same or more than Nadal,” said the former world No 1 (translated from Spanish).
“He has the right mentality and can play on all surfaces. With a bit of luck, he will be the king of tennis.”
ATP Tour News
The 11 men to win multiple Barcelona Open titles: Rafael Nadal unrivalled, Carlos Alcaraz on 2
Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev’s battle for No 2 spot ahead of French Open
Borg captained Alcaraz at the 2024 Laver Cup, where Team Europe lifted the trophy.
Fernando Verdasco, a Spanish ATP star who retired after this year’s Qatar Open, recently claimed it would be “almost impossible” for Alcaraz to win as many Grand Slams as Nadal.
“Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, they are a bit like Roger [Federer], Rafa and Novak [Djokovic] were. They are above the others,” the former world No 7 said in February.
“Of course they can lose, but you can see that they have something extra. At every Grand Slam, they are favourites.
“Afterwards, I am often asked if Alcaraz will win as many Grand Slams as Nadal. What I can say is that it is almost impossible.
“Winning 22 majors, you don’t have to be that smart to see what that represents. You have to win two or three every year in your career. So, as soon as you are injured, you have an operation or you have a physical problem, it complicates things.”
Alcaraz is competing at the Barcelona Open ATP 500, where he is aiming to add to titles he won in 2022 and 2023.
