The 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz is currently going from victory to victory on the tennis court – and teaches the competition to fear. The Spaniard could follow in the footsteps of his idol Rafael Nadal.
Carlos Alcaraz is considered the new star in tennis
His facial expression still betrays a mixture of excitement and disbelief. When Carlos Alcaraz ends his matches on the ATP tour with a decisive blow, he still seems to be surprised by every single one of his successes. The young Spaniard has not yet been able to gather routine in terms of triumphs – after all, he just turned 19 last week. But he's on the right track.
Alcaraz, born in Murcia in the southeast of Spain, is the shooting star of the international tennis scene. He is currently shifting the long-standing hierarchies at the top of the world, apparently at will. Alcaraz has already won four tournaments this year: Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona – as well as Miami and Madrid. These two tournaments are ranked just behind the Grand Slams in ATP.
“I'm a boy who is absolutely clear about his goals. And one goal is to be number one in the world to become,” says Alcaraz. He has come quite close to this goal this year: With his victory in Madrid, the Spaniard improved from ninth to sixth place in the world rankings. In 2019 he was still 597th.
Intensive work with coach Ferrero
Alcaraz has been a professional since 2018, last year he won his first ATP tournament in Umag in Croatia. And he fought his way to the quarterfinals of the US Open, where he still had to pay tribute to the physical exertion. In the meantime, he has gained a lot of muscle mass through intensive training and special nutrition. “He is not only a good tennis player, but also a very good athlete. He has reached his ideal body,” says his fitness trainer Alberto Lledó.
Working together for many years: Coaches Juan Carlos Ferrero (left) and Carlos Alcaraz
Alcaraz has been working with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero since he was 15 years old. The 42-year-old himself won a Grand Slam tournament during his professional career with the 2003 French Open. Alcaraz moved into Ferrero's tennis academy early on. “I was complicated back then. I was and still am stubborn. It was chaotic. Juan Carlos had a complicated job,” admits the super talent. But the effort was worth it. Alcaraz' shots are incredibly hard, his variability and his understanding of the game are exceptional.
Best tennis player in the world at the moment?
With his forehand, Alcaraz regularly “hammers” the ball over the net at an average speed of 125 kilometers per hour, with his two-handed backhand he reaches similar speeds. His playing is exceptional intense and spectacular – and nearing perfection. “Carlitos” doesn't shy away from risk and captivates the spectators with this style of play. “When I go onto the pitch, I tell myself that I have to be brave and aggressive,” says Alcaraz. “I'm not trying to secure the result and wait for the other to fail. If I lose, it's not because I wasn't brave enough and only went out to play balls.”
In Madrid, the shooting star, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, defeated two of the “Big Three” (the third in the league is Robert Federer) in the same tournament, something no one else had managed to do. Even the best German tennis player, Olympic champion Alexander Zverev – currently number three in the world – had no chance in the final. Zverev and Djokovic agreed afterwards: Alcaraz is currently “the best tennis player in the world”.
Top favorite at the French Open
Because of his impressive performances, Alacaraz is now considered the top favorite to win the French Open. The Grand Slam tournament in Paris begins on May 22nd. There he would have to pass his great role model Nadal again – as in Madrid. The 35-year-old Spaniard has finally won the French Open 13 times and is considered almost unbeatable on the red ashes of Roland Garros. Nadal also won the first Grand Slam tournament of the year, the Australian Open in Melbourne.
He learned that you don't play a final, you “win it,” said Alcaraz recently. This is not snooty, but shows the passion with which he approaches his job. With the healthy self-confidence of a top athlete, Carlos Alcaraz has come a long way at the age of 19 – the end is open.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Teen star with a great future
In 2005, Rafael Nadal entered the big tennis stage. With his victory at the French Open in Paris, the 19-year-old marks the beginning of an era: Until 2020, the Paris winner is Rafael Nadal – except for 2009, 2015 and 2016. For a long time, Nadal was reduced to being a pure clay court player. In fact, he gets eight of his first eleven tournament wins on the ATP tour on the red ashes.
Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Success with the team
Even before Nadal (2. f.r.) wins one title after the other in the individual, he is successful in the team. In 2004 he secured victory in the Davis Cup with Spain in the final against the USA. At his side: Carlos Moya (right), who has been part of Nadal's coaching team since 2017 and has been his main coach since 2018. Overall, Nadal wins the “ugliest salad bowl in the world” four times in his career.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
On the “holy turf”
At the beginning of his career, Nadal (right) repeatedly fought close duels with Roger Federer (left), the number one in the world. Although Nadal can almost always defeat the Swiss on clay, he was defeated in the Wimbledon final in 2006 and 2007. It was only in 2008 that the Spaniard managed to assert himself on the “sacred lawn”. The 6:4, 6:4, 6:7, 6:7 and 9:7 is the longest final in tournament history.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Crowned with gold at the tennis summit
2008 is a very successful year for Nadal: After victories in Paris and Wimbledon, he also wins the Olympic final in Beijing. In the fight for gold he defeats the Chilean Fernando Gonzalez. In August 2008 he ousted Roger Federer from the top of the world rankings. However, a short time later a knee injury stopped him and he had to take the first longer break of his career.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
First Grand Slam title on hard court
After his recovery, Nadal achieved his first major tournament win on hard court in January 2009 at the Australian Open. In the final he beat Federer again in five sets. Nadal is the first Spaniard to win in Melbourne. Five months later, however, a low blow follows: For the first time ever, Nadal loses a match at the French Open and is eliminated in the round of 16.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Collection complete
After Nadal had previously won in Paris, Wimbledon and Melbourne, he also managed to win the final at the US Open in New York in 2010. His final opponent in Flushing Meadows is Novak Djokovic. At 24, Nadal is now the seventh and youngest player to have won each of the four major tournaments at least once since the Open Era began in spring 1968.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Unusual Gameplay
Although Rafael Nadal is right-handed, he plays tennis with his left hand. He was taught that at a young age by his uncle and trainer Toni Nadal. Nadal plays with extreme topspin and has the gift of anticipating very well where the opponent is taking the ball. He is also very strong and athletic and can hit hard and placed with forehand and two-handed backhand.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Trainer and mentor
Nadal's great sponsor is his uncle. Antonio Nadal Homar, called Toni, his father's brother. Toni Nadal brought his nephew to tennis at the age of four. He is convinced early on that little Rafa, who preferred to play football as a child and teenager, can make it to the top of the world. “Uncle Toni” remains Nadal's coach until 2017, with him Rafael Nadal wins 16 Grand Slams.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Intimate connection
Nadal has been in a relationship with Maria Francisca Perello since 2005 and has been married to her since 2019. The couple has no children. The 33-year-old, who studied economics in London, prefers to stay in the background. For ten years, Nadal's foundation, the “Fundacion Rafa Nadal”, has been taking care of the integration and development of disadvantaged children in Spain and India.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Retreat on Mallorca
The roots of the 35-year-old are in Manacor on the Balearic island of Mallorca. This is where Nadal was born and grew up, and this is where he always withdraws to train and to recharge his batteries at home. On the outskirts of the 42,000-inhabitant community, Nadal runs its own, constantly growing tennis academy. He himself lives in Porto Cristo, a few kilometers away, on the coast.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Impressive figures
In addition to his 21 Grand Slam titles, Rafael Nadal holds numerous other records, such as the series of 81 consecutive matches won on clay. He is a record winner at the French Open with 13 titles and has never lost a final there. Between 2005 and 2014 he won at least one Grand Slam tournament in ten years in a row – and Nadal defeated the current number one in the world 22 times.
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Rafael Nadal: From Clay Court King to Record Winner
To the Limits
However, Nadal's game is intense and draining. Early on in his career, the question arises as to how long his body can withstand the strain. Sometimes the shoulder pinches, sometimes the back causes problems. The left foot is the worst: For many years, Nadal has been suffering from the so-called Müller-Weiss syndrome, a degenerative disease that causes the scaphoid to deform.
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Rafael Nadal: From clay court king to record winner
Burn out ?
In 2021, foot problems will be worse than ever. After the semifinals in Paris, Nadal takes a break. “Honestly, I've been suffering with my foot a lot more than I should for a year now and I need to take some time,” he said at the time. After a brief comeback, he ends the season prematurely. His future on the ATP tour? More than uncertain at this point…
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Rafael Nadal : From clay court king to record winner
Comeback and record
But then he comes back like this: After six months of injury, the Spaniard marches through the first rounds of the Australian Open without any problems. He also prevails against better opponents and finally stands in the final against Daniil Medvedev. Despite being 2-0 down in sets, Nadal stayed in the match, fought his way up and finally won his 21st Grand Slam title after 5:24 hours.