2023-09-11 21:00:44
The “Big 3” made up of Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, marked an era in tennis. However, the rise of Carlos Alcaraz has been meteoric. Let’s see what the statistics say about it.
Last update: September 11, 2023
The rise of Carlos Alcaraz to number one in tennis has given a lot to talk about, for being the youngest to climb to that position. For this reason, it is speculated if he is already up to the task. Big 3: Nadal, Federer y Djokovic.
In this article we will learn about the trajectory and achievements of these athletes, up to the age of 20, which is the current age of Carlos Alcaraz, as well as what he would have to do to be considered among the best in history.
How has Carlos Alcaraz’s career been?
The news that, Carlos Alcaraz, He is the youngest tennis player to reach number one in the Association of Professional Tennis Players (ATP) ranking.), rocked the world However, an event like this does not occur by spontaneous generation; there is always a story behind. Let’s see who Carlos Alcaraz was before reaching the top of the formerly called white sport.
First rackets
Born on May 5, 2003, at the tender age of four, Carlitos Alcaraz, was with a racket in hand. Apparently, The matter runs in the family, since his father Carlos Alcaraz González was a paddle and tennis playerand participated in ATP tournaments.
Your firsts sets He played them at the Campo de El Palmar club (Murcia), where his father also ran the tennis school. Then, at the age of 14, he entered the Equelite JC Ferrero Sport Academy. Y at that age, he already managed to score his first point as a professional.
Beginnings in the ATP
In 2019 he wins a match in a tournament Challenger, in Alicante. And the following year he achieved his first victory in an ATP tournament, in the first round in Rio de Janeiro. His first title Challenger gets it in 2020with which it manages to be located among the first 250 of the ranking.
Grand slam
In 2021 he makes his first appearance in a grand slam. This is the name given to the four largest tournaments in the world. In this case, He made his debut at the Australian Open and in the best way, with a victory. With this, he became the third youngest Spanish player to win a major tournament match, after Rafa Nadal and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.
Then, participated in the remaining grand slam: Wimbledon, Roland Garrós and the US Open. In the latter, he had reached the quarterfinals, but an injury forced him to abandon both the match and the tournament.
Number one
2022 was the year of the coronation for Carlos Alcaraz, when he began by playing the Australian Open, where for the first time he is seeded in a grand slam. Although he was eliminated in the third round, he managed to advance to box 29 of the ranking general.
Where he did obtain a resounding victory was in the ATP 500 tournament in Rio de Janeiro. He then wins the Miami Master, ATP 500 Master in Barcelona and Master 1 000 in Madrid.
He is defeated in the fourth round of Wimbledon. But, the moment of consecration arrives: wins his first grand slam in it US Open and rise to the top of white sport, with only 19 years, four months and seven days. Thanks to this fantastic season, he closes the year 2022 as the number one in world tennis.
Carlitos Alcaraz vs the “Big 3”
Of course, given such achievements, Carlos Alcaraz is already beginning to be considered a tennis phenomenon. Being inevitable comparisons with other racket greats, as is the case of the so-called «Big 3»: Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, who until recently and during the last decades, had dominated in the important tournaments.
But, is Carlos Alcaraz up to them? Let’s see what the Swiss, the Majorcan and the Serb had achieved when they reached their second decade of life.
Roger Federer
Born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1981, has a track record to be considered one of the greatest of all time. Con 20 grand slamincluding eight times Wimbledon (maximum winner in history) and six ATP Finals (also the one with the highest number of victories).
Besides, held the number one spot for 310 weeks, 237 of which were consecutive, which constitutes the best record, so far. He is the second with the most ATP titles (103) and with the most victories (1251).
But, from all this, let’s see what his achievements were when he turned 20, which is the current age of Carlos Alcaraz:
In 1998, Federer wins the Wimbledon tournament and reaches the final of the United States Open, both as a junior. That same year he is considered number one in said youth category. In 1999, he debuted in important tournaments, such as Roland Garros and Wimbledon. The following year, he competed in the ATP finals and semifinals at the Olympic Games. He also plays in the Australian Open and the USA Open. At the end of 2000 he was already among the top 30 in the world, at 19 years old (like Alcaraz). His first title in a grand slam He arrives in 2001, at the age of 20, winning Wimbledon, after beating Pete Sampras.
2004 is the definitive year of his consecration, after winning Australia, Wimbledon and the United States, a second Master’s degree and being number one, at the age of 23. It took Federer three years longer than Alcaraz to reach the top of tennis.
“Rafael Nadal
Nadal is still active at 37 years old, occupying position 140 of the ranking of the ATP. He is considered one of the best lefties in history, the absolute king of the clay courts at Roland Garrós, where he has won 14 times.
Also He is the second male tennis player with the most tournaments grand slam (22); He occupies the second position with the most Master 1000 titles (36), the fourth in total victories (1068), and the fifth position in terms of ATP titles with 92.
Rafael Nadal was born in Mallorca in 1986. By 2006, when he reached the age of 20, this was his record:
In 2002, at the age of 15, he played his first Challengeras a guest at the International Series from Majorca. In that same tournament he becomes the youngest player to win an official ATP match. He is also the jyoungest player to be Top 100 of the rankingin 2003. That same year, at the age of 17, he made his debut in a grand slam (Wimbledon) and reaches the third round. In 2004, just shy of his 18th birthday, he defeated a world number one; by then, Roger Federer. He ranks among the world elite when he wins his first Roland Garros, in 2005, at the age of 19 years and two days.Days before reaching the age of 20, he breaks the record for the most consecutive victories on clay. Then, he wins his second Roland Garros.
So at the age of 20, Nadal had two grand slam, one more than Alcaraz. However, only reached the number one in the year 2008when he was already 22.
Novak Djokovic
The attention of world tennis was focused on the Nadal-Federer rivalry. Suddenly, a third figure burst in. Owner of a powerful service, the Serbian Novak Djokovic would go on to occupy the first place, where he has been 389 weeksmore than any other.
has won 23 grand slamundisputed leader in this type of tournaments. This includes 10 Australian Opens (top winner) and seven Wimbledons (second behind Federer). He is also third in total wins, with 1,069.
But what had this Serbian phenomenon achieved before the age of 20? Let’s see:
He began playing in tournaments of Futures y Challengerswhere he won several championships, between 2003 and 2005. At the age of 17, he made his debut in a grand slam, at the Australian Open. In 2006, she reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros and the fourth round of Wimbledon. After some victories, such as the Netherlands Open, he finished that season in 20th place in the ranking, at 19 years old. He wins the Miami Master, reaches the final of Indian Wellsis crowned in Estoril and reaches a final in grand slam (United States), all this in 2007. Beginning in 2008, in Australia, he won his first big four trophy. She was then 20 years and eight months old. Finally, in 2011 he reached the top of world tennis.
It also took him a little longer than Carlos Alcaraz. However, in defense of Djokovic, it must be remembered that he had to deal with the other two greats (Federer and Nadal), who were in his prime.
What should Carlos Alcaraz do to be the best?
As we have seen, Carlos Alcaraz It has some numbers that allow a comparison with the members of the select “Big 3”. All of them had had important participations and victories in ATP tournaments at the age of twenty.
And even though the Spanish tennis player has reached the top at a young age, in order to be considered among the best in history, he must continue to reap achievements. The first thing is to stay healthy, which is not always easy in high-level competitions and in disciplines as demanding as tennis.
He must also improve aspects of his game. It is said, for example, that does not have a strong one-handed backhand, just as other greats had it at the time, for example the always remembered Ivan Lendl. However, Rafa Nadal does not seem to have needed it much in his long and successful career.
Regarding statistics, we can say that to be the best in history, Carlos Alcaraz still lacks: 22 Grand Slam to catch up with Djokovic, who is 23 (for now); 91 ATP to surpass Federer (103 titles) and 1,137 victories to look the legendary Jimmy Connors in the eye, the greatest winner in history with 1,274.
It seems difficult, but nothing is impossible, as another great of the sport would say: Muhammad Ali. After all, records are there to be broken. For now, we wish Carlitos Alcaraz a long, successful and healthy career.
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