After sealing a quarter-final spot in the Indian Wells 2024, Carlos Alcaraz revealed which player from the previous generations would he like to play against. He snubbed icons like Pete Sampras and also chose his idol Rafael Nadal’s biggest rival. He picked Roger Federer, believing his playing style was more similar to the Swiss star than anyone else.
Following his fourth-round victory at Indian Wells 2024, Alcaraz appeared on the Tennis Channel. The hosts asked him if there was an older player like Sampras or Rod Laver whom he wanted to face. The Spaniard said while he idolises Nadal, he wishes to play Federer. He praised the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s elegant gameplay. He added that his game is most similar to Federer and he wants to play like him.
“Well, I always say that my idol has been always Rafa. Yeah, but I want to say that I really want to play, like Roger Federer. I’m not going to lie. You know, his style, his elegance on the court is something amazing. And, I think I’ve said many times my game is more similar to Roger’s game. And I would like to play like him.”
Commentator-analyst Prakash Amritraj said it would have been incredible to witness Carlos Alcaraz play Roger Federer at his peak i.e., a clash of Wimbledon champions. The 20-year-old wholeheartedly agreed, saying he would love to face the legend on the court at least once.
“You’re right, you’re right. I would love to play against him at least just once. Hope to do it.”
Alcaraz has long been a vocal admirer of Nadal, which is not surprising since the latter has revolutionised Spanish tennis like never before. However, he picked the veteran’s biggest rival Federer, which shows the respect he has for the retired World No.1’s legacy. Alcaraz picked him over other stars like Sampras or even Andre Agassi, despite being on great terms with the latter.
Carlos Alcaraz chose Roger Federer despite him and Andre Agassi being big fans of each other
Alcaraz is a big admirer of Agassi and the latter reciprocates the feeling. The American superstar was on the commentary panel for the Netflix Slam 2024. He could not hold back the praise for Alcaraz, who emerged as the winner against Rafael Nadal. He claimed the younger Spaniard imparts more spin on flatter shots than his veteran compatriot. The 1996 Olympics gold medalist also believed that the two-time Grand Slam winner had a better defensive game than Novak Djokovic.
This is not the first time Andre Agassi had kind words for Carlos Alcaraz. He also gave the World No.2 some tips on how to deal with the pressure of elite tennis when they met ahead of the Netflix Slam. Alcaraz detailed what Agassi told him, saying he offered advice from his experience of how to deal with intense pressure when ranked high. He said the eight-time Grand Slam winner told him to give ‘100%’ every day and not compromise his routine (Tennis Head).
“He told me that ‘you have to give your 100% every day, or if you feel at your 80%, you have to give you 100% of that 80%. He told me the importance of every day. You cannot miss nothing in a day.”
Despite the mutual appreciation between Agassi and Alcaraz, the latter apparently relates more to Federer. Currently defending his title at Indian Wells, he will hope to leave a mark on the tournament like the Swiss star did. He faces Alexander Zverev in the quarter-final next.
