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Carlos Alcaraz compared to Djokovic
ATP Tennis Players, Rafa Nadal, Tennis News

”New Rafael Nadal’ talk is not good for Carlos Alcaraz,’ says coach


Juan Carlos Ferrero has warned that comparisons with Rafael Nadal are ‘not good’ for teenage star Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz has long been hailed as the next generational talent of Spanish tennis, and the present and future will collide in Madrid on Wednesday as he faces Nadal for the first time in a competitive match.

It will be the Spanish public’s first chance to see just how Carlos Alcaraz is measuring up to the 20-time Grand Slam legend, but coach Ferrero is not a fan of the who ‘new Rafael Nadal’ hype.

“All that talk about Carlos as the next Rafa – I think it’s not good for him,” Ferrero said.

“It ‘s an added pressure that it gets. It does not serve too. I like to think that we have another player who has a lot of potential.

“With his game and his way of facing game by game, face to face with the players, makes me trust that it will be very good . But you have to go step by step.

“For me it is a generational duel. Rafa is still going, he is playing at a very high level, fighting for Grand Slams.

“It is true that Carlos is the boy who comes from behind, not to replace but to choose to great things and to play great games.”


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Michael Graham, Tennishead.net Editor, has been a professional sports journalist for his whole career and is especially passionate about tennis. He's been the Editor of Tennishead.net for over 5 years and loves watching live tennis by visiting as many tournaments as possible. Michael specialises in writing in-depth features about the ATP & WTA tours.