At just 22 years old, Carlos Alcaraz is already the face of the sport. He reclaimed the world No. 1 ranking after lifting his sixth Grand Slam title and will now lead Team Europe in this year’s Laver Cup. With so much attention on his rapid rise, the question inevitably surfaced: does he feel pressure to one day surpass the “Big Three” of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal?
The conversation gained traction after Andre Agassi praised Alcaraz during a Laver Cup broadcast. “He’s like a combination of the Big Three in one player,” Agassi said, remarks that quickly spread across the tennis world and raised expectations even higher.
Alcaraz, however, brushed off the idea that he carries extra weight on his shoulders. “I don’t feel any extra pressure,” he said in a press conference. “I don’t think about being the best ambassador for tennis or having that responsibility. Every player is an ambassador of this sport. I just try to do my best in every match. I love playing tennis, and that’s why I enjoy it so much”.
The Spaniard emphasized that he blocks out the outside noise. “Those points, those shots, those matches — they bring people in because I’d say it’s something different. But I don’t do it to attract attention; I do it because I love playing. I don’t feel any kind of pressure. I just want to enjoy myself every time I step on the court and make the fans enjoy it too. For me, that’s the most important feeling, and that’s all I try to do,” he continued.
Carlos Alcaraz of Team Europe reacts during Laver Cup. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
While comparisons with Djokovic, Federer and Nadal are unavoidable, Alcaraz said he is more focused on appreciating his own journey and the reward of regaining the top spot in the rankings.
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“All my life I’ve worked hard to be in this position — playing my tennis, resting well, doing everything. This sport is about what you do on and off the court. It’s not an easy path. You have to work at 100 percent, even on the days you don’t want to train. It’s been a long and complicated road, but a beautiful one,” he reflected.
Alcaraz’s remarkable career so far
Despite his age, Alcaraz has already built one of the most impressive résumés in tennis. He owns six Grand Slam titles — two French Opens, two Wimbledons and two U.S. Opens — and became the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history. He was also the youngest player to win an ATP 500 tournament and the youngest to reach an Olympic final, earning a silver medal in Paris. And he’s only 22.
