Carlos Alcaraz names 3 young tennis stars who could soon vie for majors
Carlos Alcaraz is the world No. 2 and has won four Grand Slam titles, but the Spaniard is wary of three young players who could challenge him and the rest of the top players
World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz has identified three young talents who could pose a threat to his success at major tournaments.
Despite clinching his 18th career title at the recent Monte-Carlo Masters, an event marked by early losses from top players like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz remains optimistic about the future of the sport.
He credits this optimism to a group of players even younger than himself, whom he believes are poised to challenge for "big things". Alcaraz is no stranger to being a young sensation in the sport.
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He made a name for himself at just 18 years old when he won the 2022 Madrid Open. By the end of that year, he had secured his first Grand Slam title in New York and became the youngest-ever world No.1 in ATP history at 19.
Now, as he approaches his 22nd birthday, Alcaraz boasts four Major titles and recently added to his collection with his sixth Masters 1000 crown in Monte-Carlo. This victory ended a disappointing streak for Alcaraz, who lost his opening match in Miami.
However, some of his competitors continue to struggle. World No. 3 Zverev has only managed a 6-6 record in matches since his loss in the Australian Open final in January, and he also lost his opening round in Monaco. Djokovic, too, fell early last week and experienced a three-match losing streak earlier this year.
Despite these challenges, Alcaraz maintains a positive outlook on the future of tennis as it transitions into a post-Big Three era.
The world No. 2 expressed optimism about the future of tennis, saying, "I think we're in a very good moment, in the sense that there are a lot of young players capable of winning big titles, fighting for big things," as he prepared for the Barcelona Open this week.
He's particularly taken with the performances of two teenage sensations, Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca, who have both clinched ATP Tour titles this year. The Spaniard also had high praise for Arthur Fils after their encounter in Monaco, noting, "We've seen it with Mensik, who's a player who is going to keep growing but is already established.
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"Joao Fonseca is a player I love watching, I think he has unique charisma on court at his age. I played Arthur Fils in Monte-Carlo and I came off court amazed at his power, physique and the level he could reach."
While these rising stars have shown their mettle, they are now aiming for consistency. Mensik, fresh from his Miami Open victory over Djokovic last month, faced an early exit in Munich.
Fonseca, only 18, stumbled in Rio shortly after his first triumph in Argentina. However, Fils, at 20, is stringing together impressive performances, reaching three consecutive Masters 1000 quarter-finals.
