The Next Tennis Great Has Arrived: Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz Garfia may be just 17 years old, but this young teen is taking the ATP by storm. His fast rise can be attributed to his hard work and generational talent, which has conjured direct comparisons to his fellow countryman and all-time great Rafael Nadal. But make no mistake: Alcaraz is not the next Nadal. He is the first of his kind and is truly the future.

Most casual tennis fans probably don’t know who Carlos Alcaraz, but I guarantee that by the end of this Australian Open, the whole world will know his name. Alcaraz hails from El Palmar, Spain, about 206 miles from Rafael Nadal’s hometown of Majorca. Their shared nationality has led to numerous comparisons with all-time great Rafael Nadal, but the similarities don’t extend much farther beyond that.

Alcaraz is a completely unique player in his own right. Though his current stats may not be absolutely eye-popping, he already (albeit without much coverage) won 2 Challenger Tournaments back to back at the tail end of the 2020 season and beat Top 15 Opponent David Goffin prior to the beginning of the Australian Open. Though these early feats are quite impressive for someone who is just 17 years old, the stats only tell half the story. To see how truly special he is, you have to watch him play.

The playstyle of Alcaraz would probably remind the average tennis viewer of Roger Federer rather than Nadal. The main crux of Alcaraz’s game lies in his forehand. With a smooth stroke that packs a massive punch, Alcaraz’s forehand can naturally generate a large amount of pace, which allows him to easily blast the ball past his opponents. In addition, Alcaraz has above average net skills which seem to be lacking in many of the Next Gen. His focus on the fundamentals at the net puts him at a clear advantage when it comes to net play, and he demonstrates this by using a wide variety of drop shots, as well as moving up to the net quite often to challenge opponents. This allows him to break off from the mold of a one-dimensional baseline player and adds an extra layer of depth to his game. Finally, his movement is another massive strength, as this young “Energizer Bunny” can get to almost any ball. 

When it comes to his weaknesses, Alcaraz lacks some height but more importantly weight. He stands at a respectable 6’1, though many of his NextGen compatriots all seem to exceed at least 6’3. However, the bigger cause for concern is his weight, as he is only 159 pounds. It will be necessary for him to bulk up and evolve from his thin frame if he wants to stay healthy and competitive for the next decade, as his small frame will only put him at a disadvantage as he progresses. His serve could also use some work, as it doesn’t generate much power, in addition to lacking variation. If he can improve on these components of his boy and his game, he can become a more complete player that will consistently perform on the top level.

While some may say it may be too soon to call Alcaraz a lock to lead the NextGen to success, Alcaraz has already proven that he’s ready for the big stage. In his first-round match in this year’s Australian Open, he dominated his opponent, closing the first set out in less than 30 minutes. He hasn’t dropped a set since his first match in the qualifiers and is running on 4 match win streak currently. He’s proven that he can perform on the big stage in the past as well, beating Albert Ramos Viñolas in the Rio Open in his debut match.

Furthermore, he put the ATP on notice by emphatically capping his 2020 season with the ATP Newcomer of the Year Award. Alcaraz has already demonstrated skill and maturity that exceed even his senior peers, which puts him at the head of the pack in the crop of these NextGen players. The future is here, and the future is now. He is not the next Nadal; he is the first Alcaraz.