Carlos Alcaraz is ‘Nadal, Djokovic and Federer combined’ says Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi has heaped praise on world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz by saying he is a “combination” of all three of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
Alcaraz may only be 22 but is already being earmarked as an all-time great with six Grand Slams in his collection.
This weekend, he represents Team Europe’s star player as they seek to defend the Laver Cup and the opposite captain Agassi said he is like watching a mix of the three best players of all time.
“There’s not a place in the world where he goes and he’s not the crowd favourite,” Agassi told ATPTour.com. “And for obvious reasons. What he’s brought to the game is a mixture of the last generation we had.
“I know Novak is still playing, but Novak, Roger and Rafa — he’s like a combination of all of them in one, with the RPMs he can put [on the ball], the defence that he has like Novak, the feel that he has like Federer. To see that in one person on a tennis court is remarkable.
“[He is] one of the most explosive, dynamic players that the game has ever seen. I’ve seen him play live a few times, but to be down there on the court next to it will be something special.”
Agassi is not the only Team World representative to have praised Alcaraz with vice captain Patrick Rafter also praising the young Spaniard.
“He can produce power from anywhere and no one has that power,” Rafter said. “He’s probably one of the greatest movers we’ve ever seen in the game of tennis. That combination is pretty impressive, plus he’s got all the shots.”
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On Team Europe captain Yannick Noah said Alcaraz has filled the “long hole” many expected after the Big Three hung up their rackets.
“Three, four years ago, we all thought as tennis fans that after Roger, Rafa and Djoko, after their time, [there is] gonna be a long hole: ‘What’s gonna happen?’. The next thing you know, here are these champions coming,” Noah said in a pre-tournament Laver Cup press conference.
“I’m not such a great technician really, but I really believe in the energy that they bring because they are such interesting and different characters out there and very, very popular for the tennis fan. And of course they’re playing great tennis, we all know that. But it’s also the personalities that people like.”
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