Tennis icon Serena Williams has weighed in on the sport’s 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 men’s tour for two decades, amassing an astounding 66 total Grand Slam titles, a benchmark many believe is insurmountable. Djokovic leads the men’s 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 Djokovic’s leading tally of 24 Major titles.
“Carlos is doing incredible things; I’m a huge fan of him. I always call him when he plays, to cheer him on,” Williams noted. When asked specifically about the 24-Major mark, she added, “At this point, anything is possible“.
Carlos Alcaraz with the Roland Garros trophy. (Getty Images)
“When 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 it’s possible. Records are there to be broken,” she concluded.
see also
Djokovic, Nadal or Federer? Former World No. 1 Jim Courier picks the greatest of all time
Alcaraz ignores record pressure
Since rapidly ascending to the world No. 1 ranking at just 19—the youngest player in history to achieve the feat—Alcaraz 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. “I don’t feel any extra pressure,” Alcaraz said during a press conference at this year’s Laver Cup.
“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,” he added.
The World No.1 emphasized that he actively blocks out the outside noise and focuses on entertaining the crowd: “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”.
Alcaraz’s impressive career
Despite his youth, Carlos Alcaraz has already cemented one of the most remarkable résumés in modern tennis history. The Spanish prodigy currently owns six Grand Slam titles—including two French Opens, two Wimbledons, and two U.S. Opens—and 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 he’s only 22 years old.
