Boris Becker recently appealed to fans to stop comparing Carlos Alcaraz so heavily to the Big 3 of tennis. He fears Alcaraz might lose the passion to play if he was constantly burdened by expectations. The retired player said it is unrealistic to expect the Spaniard, or anyone else, to win more than 20 Grand Slams.
Becker said the Big 3 of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer were in a league of their own. Nobody before them achieved records like they did. Hence, he warned fans about expecting too much from Alcaraz.
Comparing Alcaraz excessively with Big 3 will kill his interest in tennis, says Boris Becker
The so-called ‘next generation’ of tennis has flattered to deceive even as the Big 3 entered the twilight of their career. However, Alcaraz stood out as the biggest genuine contender from the new group. At just 20, he has won two Grand Slams and four ATP Masters and has been ranked World No.1 multiple times. Breaking through as a teenager from Spain, the Nadal comparisons were inevitable. Being Djokovic’s closest and biggest challenger, comparison with the Serb also followed. Meanwhile, his playing style invited parallels with Roger Federer.
German legend Boris Becker cautioned the tennis fraternity against holding Alcaraz to those standards (via Tennis World USA). He pleaded with fans to give the World No.2 some space and time, warning he may otherwise lose interest in tennis.
“It’s almost impossible to avoid comparison with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. But please give him time to develop, so that he doesn’t lose interest in the sport, because we still need him for a few years.”
Becker believes Alcaraz will not cross the 20-Grand Slam milestone since it never happened until the Big 3 did it. The six-time Majors winner opined that it was the iconic trio that defied history and never again will anybody win so many Grand Slams.
“It is misleading to think Carlos can surpass 20 Grand Slam titles. That didn’t happen before the era of the Big Three. I am convinced that three players will never again win more than 20 Grand Slam tournaments at the same time.”
Becker is not alone in believing that the Big 3’s achievements will never be emulated. However, Alcaraz at 20 stands in a much better position than Federer and Djokovic were at that age. Neither of them had won a Grand Slam as a teenager. Only Nadal can compare to Alcaraz in that aspect and he, too, was never ranked No.1 by 20. The two-time Grand Slam champion is surely a few steps ahead of the illustrious triumvirate, but the question is if he can keep it up for as long as they have.
Carlos Alcaraz will look to bounce back after a brief slump
Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final to win a second Majors, also denying the latter a chance to grab a calendar Grand Slam. The World No.1 got his revenge in the epic final of the Cincinnati Masters. Since then, Alcaraz has not been at his best, exiting the US Open and the China Open in the semi-finals and the Shanghai Masters in the Round of 16. He will want to display better form at the upcoming Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
In a surprisingly unambitious statement, Alcaraz said he would be happy if he had a similar season next year. Regardless, he will be expected to fight for titles at every major championship. He will also be among the favourites for the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With compatriot Nadal’s return on the cards, there is a possibility of them pairing up to play doubles for Spain. While there is no guarantee, if it does happen, not only would it be a great moment for the fans, but would also motivate Carlos Alcaraz to a great extent.
