Tennis icon Serena Williams has weighed in on the sportâs most explosive debate, suggesting that rising star Carlos Alcaraz possesses the ability to surmount the collective Grand Slam records established by the legendary Big Three: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
The Big Three dominated the menâs tour for two decades, amassing an astounding 66 total Grand Slam titles, a benchmark many believe is insurmountable. Djokovic leads the menâs Major count with 24 titles, followed by Nadal, who holds 22, and finally Federer, who has 20 Majors to his name. However, Williams firmly believes that records are made to be shattered, and Alcaraz could be the one to achieve the feat.
Williams, who is in Spain to receive the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award, addressed the possibility of Alcaraz surpassing Djokovicâs leading tally of 24 Major titles.
âCarlos is doing incredible things; Iâm a huge fan of him. I always call him when he plays, to cheer him on,â Williams noted. When asked specifically about the 24-Major mark, she added, âAt this point, anything is possibleâ.
Carlos Alcaraz with the Roland Garros trophy. (Getty Images)
âWhen Roger started, no one thought he could surpass Pete Sampras, and he did. Then Rafa did the same, and then Novak. Carlos is very young, he has great rivals, but of course itâs possible. Records are there to be broken,â she concluded.
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Alcaraz ignores record pressure
Since rapidly ascending to the world No. 1 ranking at just 19âthe youngest player in history to achieve the featâAlcaraz has faced intense scrutiny regarding his potential to rewrite tennis history.
Despite the monumental expectations, the Spanish phenom maintains that he is motivated by passion, not record books. âI donât feel any extra pressure,â Alcaraz said during a press conference at this yearâs Laver Cup.
âI donât 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 thatâs why I enjoy it so much,â he added.
The World No.1 emphasized that he actively blocks out the outside noise and focuses on entertaining the crowd: âI donât do it to attract attention; I do it because I love playing. I donât 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, thatâs the most important feeling, and thatâs all I try to doâ.
Alcarazâs impressive career
Despite his youth, Carlos Alcaraz has already cemented one of the most remarkable rĂ©sumĂ©s in modern tennis history. The Spanish prodigy currently owns six Grand Slam titlesâincluding two French Opens, two Wimbledons, and two U.S. Opensâand holds the record as the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history.
In his brief but explosive career, the star was also the youngest player to conquer an ATP 500 tournament and the youngest to reach an Olympic final, where he snagged a silver medal in Paris. Alcaraz has compiled this extraordinary list of accomplishments, and heâs only 22 years old.
