Carlos Alcaraz ‘already like legends Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’, says former world No 6

Shahida Jacobs 16 Aug 2024 9:33 AM

Carlos Alcaraz has received high praise from Gael Monfils

Carlos Alcaraz is already a “really, really complete player” despite his age with Gael Monfils insisting the Spaniard is “like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer”.

Aged just 21, Alcaraz is already a four-time Grand Slam winner as he is a two-time Wimbledon champion after defeating Novak Djokovic in back-to-back finals in 2023 and 2024.

Before winning his second title at the All England Club in July, Alcaraz also captured a maiden title at Roland Garros to become the youngest man to win to complete the Surface Slam [winning a title on the three different surfaces in tennis] with his hard-court major coming at the 2022 US Open.

Although he still has some way to go to beat some of the records set by the Big Three of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, veteran Monfils sees Alcaraz in the same light as “those legends”.

“At that moment, of course, I see him as Novak, as Rafa, as Roger,” the Frenchman told the official ATP Tour website. “So for me, he’s just a little bit younger, but he is already [like] those legends.”

What makes Alcaraz – who also became the youngest world No 1 when he climbed to the top of the rankings after his title run at Flushing Meadows in 2022 – such a unique player is the fact that he is not just brilliant when it comes to results, but he is also a great entertainer and always plays with a smile on his face.

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Alcaraz has often been described as a hybrid of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, and Monfils highlighted some of the youngster’s attributes.

“Big, obviously, big. He is a complete athlete, a tonne of speed, endurance, power, and then his tennis, of course, is quite complete too,” the former world No 6 said.

“Backhand, forehand, it’s quite hard to see where you can sit [and wait]. He improved a lot in the return, serving big. He’s just a really, really complete player.”

The 37-year-old Monfils is in the final few years of his career, but he enjoys taking on youngsters like Alcaraz and current world No 1 Jannik Sinner as it brings out the best out of him.

“For me, it’s always cool to play such a big star like Carlos or Jannik,” he said. “Of course, my age it was Novak or whoever, but to play those youngsters, it’s always a pleasure.”