A lot of pressure can come from being the number one-ranked ATP player. Carlos Alcaraz remains unfazed by it and still dons a smile despite being 20 years old. His dominance throughout the French Open begged a lot of questions. The most prominent one is: Will he be the heir-apparent of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer?
After Alcaraz dismantled Lorenzo Mussetti in three sets in the fourth round, he addressed the comparisons.
“There are people who say that I have blows [shots] from Rafa, shots from Djokovic, shots from Federer because, in the end, it is what they have been used to seeing for 20 years, right? But I do not define myself or have not sought to have anyone's shots, but I'm simply 100% Alcaraz and that is what I like to think – that I am 100%,” Alcaraz said undauntedly, per Tom Hamilton of ESPN.
The Djokovic-Nadal-Federer comparisons also did not stop with Alcaraz. Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz's new coach, answered questions about the lofty expectations surrounding his mentee.
“Pressure is going to be there always. I think people expect a lot of things from a lot of players, so I think we try to go our way, you know, believe in ourselves. I think of course he won a Grand Slam already, 19 years old, now 20, is gonna help him to believe that he can make it again. I think it's all help, not more pressure,” said Ferrero addressing the comparisons.
Only two top-ranked seeds have ever won the French Open since 1990. Before even reaching that feat, Alcaraz has a possible matchup with Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Carlos Alcaraz has his sights set on history, and he looks at it with a welcome smile.
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