"I think a lot of things are similar, 1 is to be brave and accept every challenge, 2nd is the effort" - Tennis coach Jofre Porta on Carlos Alcaraz-Rafael Nadal comparisons
Carlos Alcaraz has been turning heads with his incredible performances this season. The teenage prodigy's rapid rise has earned him comparisons to 21-time Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
Tennis coach Jofre Porta was the latest to weigh in on Alcaraz's recent success. During an interview with the Control the Controllables podcast, Porta said there are plenty of similarities between Nadal and Alcaraz, including their courage in the face of adversity and their determination to succeed.
"I think a lot of things are similar, you know. One of the things obviously is to be brave. Drill the mind, accept every challenge. This one is so, so important. Second one is, the effort. They don't measure the effort. At 16-years-old, Nadal was like this, it's not so tactical," Porta said.
Carlos Alcaraz cracked the top 10 of the ATP rankings following his triumph in Barcelona, becoming the youngest player to do so since Nadal in 2005.
Considering that he has very few points to defend over the next few months, the 19-year-old could find himself in the top 5 of the ATP rankings sooner rather than later.
@alcarazcarlos03 Got every shot in the book.
The lob... https://t.co/I3vNONWI8v
"He made mistakes but he was so brave" - Jofre Porta on his first impression of Carlos Alcaraz
Jofre Porta also recalled the first time he saw Alcaraz in action. The coach said the young Spaniard made a lot of mistakes, but was never bogged down and continued to fight. This, according to Porta, was one of the most admirable qualities in the 19-year-old.
"With Alcaraz, the first time I saw him, he was very young. He played fantastic but was not sure, he made mistakes but he was so brave," Porta said.
Carlitos Alcaraz: Blowing Minds Since Day 1 🤯
Celebrating @alcarazcarlos03’s 19th birthday with a thread of some of his finest work so far - starting with *this*... 🎉 https://t.co/agVafU53NZ
Alcaraz is currently competing at the Madrid Open. He defeated Nikoloz Basiliashvili in straight sets in the second round to set up a meeting with Cameron Norrie.
The Spaniard is projected to face Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals and Novak Djokovic in the semifinals if the seedings hold.