Roger Federer Echoes Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic Views on Carlos Alcaraz’s Struggles

Carlos Alcaraz has flattered to deceive with his performances after lifting the 2023 Wimbledon title. The criticisms are mounting upon him, but he has found backing from some legends of the game. Roger Federer is the latest name to chip in with some words of support for Alcaraz.

Despite his shortcomings in the hardcourt season, especially in the Asian swing, Alcaraz believes he has been playing ‘great’ tennis. He has faced scathing criticism, especially after losing certain matches. He has been subjected to a lot of trolling on social media. Alcaraz has been on the receiving end of perhaps undeservingly harsh flak and will want to bounce back and shut down his critics.

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic empathise with Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz cemented his position as an elite contender with his Wimbledon victory. Frequently exchanging the World No.1 position with Novak Djokovic, the duo have pulled clear of the chasing pack. Apart from the Slam, Alcaraz won five titles in 2023. He is in a league of his own, yet has faced a lot of brickbats for his slowdown in past couple of months.

Roger Federer has defended him, saying it is natural for Alcaraz to lose a few matches and have dry spells. He referenced his fellow Big 3 members, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, saying that after them, people now expect new players to play outstanding tennis every time. He praised Alcaraz, saying he has given his best but losing is normal. Roger Federer tipped the young star to have great future (via Sportskeeda).

“Of course, with Rafa, Novak, myself, and Murray, we all expect now every generation to produce best tennis every single week for some reason, but it’s hard to do that. And I think Carlos, he’s done as well as he possibly could have so far. And he’s going to lose some time to time, like here in Shanghai but he’s doing fantastic. He’s got a great game and obviously an unbelievable future ahead of him.”

After a semi-final exit from the 2023 US Open, Alcaraz embarked on his maiden Asian campaign. He met with another semi-final loss in the China Open, followed by a Round of 16 exit at the Shanghai Masters.

Nadal, too, has previously been protective of Alcaraz. He implored fans to not burden the World No.2 with expectations from an young age. He touched upon the struggles he himself faced in the later stages of his career, saying an extreme load of expectations can destroy a player. Djokovic has also defended Alcaraz in the past, supporting the Spaniard’s decision to not participate in the Davis Cup. The Serb has always waxed lyrical about his budding rival, saying he is a mixture of the Big 3.

The Big 3 revolutionised the sport, treating fans to top drawer tennis at every occasion. Add to that Andy Murray during his peak and you had four brilliant players, ensuring viewers saw at least one playing at an elite level at any given time. Such expectations were also set of the newer generation but no such group has risen to the Big 3′ levels. Alcaraz, being the best of the batch, bore most of the load.

How Carlos Alcaraz idolises Roger Federer

Carlos Alcaraz has idolised Roger Federer since he was a child. He also said he wanted to face the 20-time Majors winner but unfortunately, Roger Federer retired before it could happen. Some elements of the Swiss legend’s game are visible in his playing style, as Alcaraz himself said. Even off the court, the 20-year-old is scaling the marketability ladder. He is a Nike athlete, just like Roger Federer was for most of his career. And just like him, two-time Grand Slam winner endorses Rolex and Louis Vuitton among other high-profile brands like Calvin Klein and BMW.

At the Shanghai Masters, Alcaraz was allotted the lock room previously used by Federer for 12 years. This symbolised him being seen as the successor to the Big 3. Alcaraz also confirmed he will participate in the ATP 500 Swiss Indoors held in Basel. He will want to give his best in his idol’s hometown.