Carlos Alcaraz can win unlimited Grand Slams: Tallon Griekspoor
Dutch professional Tallon Griekspoor believes Carlos Alcaraz has what it takes to win multiple Grand Slam titles.
Despite a couple of injury setbacks, Alcaraz has carried forward his impeccable form from last season into 2023. The Spaniard had to miss the Australian Open due to a leg injury but returned strongly to win the Argentina Open.
Alcaraz won his third Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells without dropping a set and returned to the top of the rankings.
The 19-year-old was two wins away at the Miami Open from becoming the youngest player to complete the Sunshine Double when Jannik Sinner stopped him in the semi-finals.
Griekspoor, who has lost both his matches (2022 Wimbledon and 2023 Indian Wells) against Alcaraz, was a guest on The Functional Tennis Podcast. The 35th-ranked lauded Carlos Alcaraz's complete game and stated that the youngster could win "unlimited" Majors.
"He's one of the best players in the world. He has everything it takes to win unlimited tournaments, unlimited Slams," Griekspoor said. "In the Indian Wells first set, I felt like I was on top of him. I was disappointed because I felt like I could have won the first set. And whenever you lose that first set and you drop like 1-2%, he's all over you."
Griekspoor added that he hadn't faced a better and more powerful forehand than 2022 US Open champion Alcaraz.
"I think the biggest weapon for him is still the forehand, which he has so much power in and then he has the drop shot, you don't see it coming," he added. "That's what he did against Medvedev so well, especially since [Daniil] Medvedev was returning from so far."
Griekspoor then suggested that although Carlos Alcaraz is yet to reach Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal's levels, he is still too good for his age.
"To do these kinds of things at the age of 19, he's impressive and he's still young. He's still going to give you some points where I feel like Novak or Rafa don't give you any points. But he's so good in everything he does," he concluded.
"Of course, it's a shame, I had the opportunity to get the Sunshine Double" - Carlos Alcaraz
Had Carlos Alcaraz won the 2023 Miami Open, he would have become the first player since Roger Federer in 2017 to win the Sunshine Double.
A loss in the semi-finals at the hands of Jannik Sinner also meant that the Spaniard lost his No. 1 ranking. However, Alcaraz stated that winning the match and the tournament held more value than anything else.
"For me, it's like I lost the semifinal. I don't think about I lost the No. 1 or the Sunshine Double," Alcaraz said. "Of course, it's a shame, I had the opportunity to get the Sunshine Double. But I'm going to have more years to try to get it. All I can think about is like how to improve my level to beat Jannik. For me, it's just a lost semifinal of a tournament."
Alcaraz is set to feature in the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters alongside Novak Djokovic. The Masters tournament begins on Sunday, April 9.