"I don't want to compare Alcaraz with Rafa because it's impossible, Rafa is a special one"- David Ferrer on Carlos Alcaraz
David Ferrer has heaped praise on Carlos Alcaraz and tipped him to have a good career.
The teenager, coached by former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, has been one of this year's breakout stars. Alcaraz has put in multiple impressive performances on tour in 2021 and won his first ATP title as well as the ATP Next Gen Finals.
In an interview with the tennis podcast Game to Love, Ferrer praised Alcaraz's game and humility, and said the teenager could become the future of Spanish tennis. The former Roland Garros runner-up said:
"He finished the year in Top 30, he has an amazing year. The important thing is that he's humble, he's humble, he likes to listen. I know Carlos because Juan Carlos is a good friend of mine. I'm very happy for them because after Rafa, he is going to be the future."
Ferrer added:
"I don't want to compare Alcaraz with Rafa because it's impossible, Rafa is a special one, like Roger or Novak. But it's good for the tennis, we are seeing new faces and you know, for Spanish people, it's great to have Carlos Alcaraz. He can play in all surfaces, I think so."
He also praised the power Alcaraz generates with his shots despite being just 18 years old.
"The good thing about Carlos is that his shots are very powerful. I watched the match against Tsitsipas, the World No. 3, and he dominated most of it. He is just 18 years old and that is very impressive."
Carlos Alcaraz reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal in 2021
Alcaraz started 2021 ranked 146th in the world, but quickly rose up the rankings after producing some very promising performances. The Spaniard's most notable achievement was reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open, defeating third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round.
At the US Open, @alcarazcarlos03 made his big-stage debut in grand style, and showed the steely grace of a future champion in his five-set win over the third-seeded Tsitsipas.
@SteveTignor reviews the No. 3 match of 2021. MORE: tennis.com/news/articles/… https://t.co/Z4bZowFUbU
He also reached the semifinals of the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, beating Matteo Berrettini in the quarterfinals. Alcaraz finished the year by winning the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. After winning all of his group matches, the Spaniard defeated Sebastian Baez in the semifinals before triumphing over Sebastian Korda in the final.
The teenager will finish 2021 ranked 32nd. For his performances, Alcaraz was also nominated for ATP's Most Improved Player of the Year award, which he lost to Aslan Karatsev.
The 18-year-old will most likely start 2022 at the Australian Open as he is included in the entry list for the competition. Given some of his results in 2021, there is a good chance Alcaraz could cause an upset or two in the tournament.