Carlos Alcaraz picks between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as he makes playing style admission

Ewan West 13 Mar 2024 5:26 PM

Carlos Alcaraz smiling Indian Wells 2024

Carlos Alcaraz smiling in Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz has made the honest confession that Roger Federer is the player he “really wants to play like”, while reiterating that his countryman Rafael Nadal is his idol.

The world No 2 declared his game is “more similar” to that of Federer than Nadal and expressed his desire to play against the Swiss icon at least once.

Alcaraz has been compared with each of Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic due to his range of impressive attributes and the completeness of his game.

The two-time Grand Slam champion’s attacking mindset and variety places him closer to Federer than the other two members of the ‘Big Three’ in terms of strategy.

While the 20-year-old has faced Nadal three times and Djokovic on five occasions, he did not get the opportunity to play Federer before the 20-time major winner retired in 2022.

This means an exhibition match between Alcaraz and Federer would be the only way tennis fans could get the chance to see the two highly popular stars share the court.

The Spaniard is currently in action at the Indian Wells Open, where he is the defending champion. Alcaraz will take on world No 6 Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals at the Masters 1000 event on Thursday in a rematch of the Australian Open last eight clash he lost in four sets in January.

In an interview with Tennis Channel after beating Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 6-3 in the fourth round in Indian Wells, Alcaraz was asked which retired tennis legends he would have liked to have faced.

“I always say that my idol is Rafa but I want to say that I really want to play like Roger, I’m not gonna lie, you know, his style, his elegance on the court is something amazing,” he said.

Carlos vs. Roger? Yes please! 🌱#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/ClUyVW1ZA6

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 13, 2024

“I’ve said it many times my game is more similar than Roger’s game and I would like to play like him. I would love to play against him, at least just once, but yeah, hope to do it,”

The world No 2 also addressed whether the huge support he receives from tennis fans at every tournament he attends now feels normal to him.

“Well, sometimes for me it’s, ‘What’s going on?’ (smiles), but I am trying to take it as natural as I can,” Alcaraz explained.

“Obviously right now, every place that I am going, there are some people that recognise you and for me it’s great to have those fans and a lot of people around the world watching my matches, supporting me from home, every place that I am going.

“But yeah, sometimes it’s difficult to understand what I am doing or the people that are around.”