Carlos Alcaraz has not really been exposed, but he's so strong that I'd be surprised if he disappeared from the scene: Marc Rosset
Carlos Alcaraz has taken the tennis world by storm with his performances this year. While many experts and former players alike have tipped the Spaniard to become a force to reckon with on the tour, former Olympic champion Marc Rosset wants to be patient before hailing him as the next big thing.
Rosset hopes that in Alcaraz's case, lofty expectations do not dampen the fire within him. He believes that the 19-year-old has been in fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal's shadow so far, and wishes to see him flourish without too much pressure.
Speaking in an interview with RTS Sport, Rosset explained his views on the matter.
"So far, Carlos Alcaraz has not really been exposed. He is always protected by the shadow of Rafael Nadal. In reality, I do not want to get inflamed or go too quickly work with him," Rosset said.
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The Swiss gave the example of Borna Coric to further drive home his point. A 17-year-old Coric stunned Nadal in Basel in 2014 following which there was a lot of hype surrounding the Croat. Although he reached a career-high ranking of No. 12, Coric was never able to take the next step as he battled injuries and inconsistent form.
"Remember when Borna Coric beat Rafa in Basel in 2014, everyone said that we had a new phenomenon there. Eight years later, nothing happened," Rosset said.
While he does not want Alcaraz to be put under too much pressure and face a similar fate, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist is confident of the Spaniard's abilities. Rosset feels the youngster is too strong not to leave a big mark on the game and wants Alcaraz, who "brings so much freshness" to tennis, to succeed.
"But it is clear that Alcaraz is very, very strong. So strong that I would be surprised if he disappeared from the scene," the Swiss continued.
"He is aggressive, strong, fast. And I love his state of mind. Frankly, I would like that a guy who brings so much freshness can succeed," he concluded.
The 2022 French Open marks just the sixth Grand Slam main draw appearance for the teenager, who hails from Murcia in Spain. He entered the tournament as one of the favorites after racking up titles in Rio, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid.
He showed no signs of nerves in his first-round match on Sunday, winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-0 against Juan Ignacio Londero.
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"I would say I have to improve everything a little bit" -Carlos Alcaraz after first-round win at French Open
Considering all the hype surrounding Carlos Alcaraz, it would be easy for him to be overwhelmed by the occasion. However, the Spaniard is aware that he cannot let his attention get diverted and has declared that he is staying focused on improving his game and playing better each day.
"Rafa says every day that he always improve every day. I would say I have to improve everything a little bit. You can improve everything every day, you know," Alcaraz expressed.
The 19-year-old will face Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round. A potential semifinal clash with either Nadal or Novak Djokovic could await the Spanish teenager later on.