Carlos Alcaraz is rivalling the big three’s early career with his excellent achievements at just 22 years old.
Alcaraz’s victory at the Qatar Open earned him his 26th ATP title, which includes a remarkable seven Grand Slam titles.
The Spaniard has won more Grand Slams than Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal managed at the same age.
However, when it comes to Masters 1000 titles then Carlos Alcaraz still has a long way to go to catch Nadal.
Rafael Nadal’s incredible early record at Masters events
Alcaraz has been impressive at Masters events so far in his career, having racked up eight victories already.
However, Nadal stands out immensely when it comes to Masters event wins before turning 23 years of age.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
The King of Clay won 15 Masters titles at 22, which is nearly double what Alcaraz has managed at the same age.
| Rafael Nadal | Carlos Alcaraz | |
| Total ATP titles | 31 | 26 |
| Grand Slams | 6 | 7 |
| Masters 1000s | 15 | 8 |
Nadal’s dominance on clay helped him collect several Masters titles at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Italian Open, Madrid Open, and the German Open.
However, Nadal did also manage to win Masters titles on hard courts too, at the Canadian Open and Indian Wells.
The star’s Masters record is largely unbeatable, although Alcaraz has a chance to get slightly closer to Nadal.
How close can Carlos Alcaraz get to Rafael Nadal’s record?
Alcaraz turns 23 on 5 May, which means he has a few more Masters events to close the gap on his compatriot.
He is seven Masters titles behind Nadal’s record and there are still four more 1000 events before Alcaraz’s 23rd birthday.
Which member of the ‘Big Three’ is Carlos Alcaraz most similar to? Let us know why below👇
If Alcaraz wins at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Monte Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Open, he could reach 12 Masters titles wins.
It’s a testament to Nadal’s incredible record that even if Alcaraz continued his unbeaten streak in 2026, he would be nowhere near the King of Clay’s record.
Alcaraz might have taken his early Grand Slam record, but Nadal’s Masters record will likely stick with him forever.
