"It's like Carlos Alcaraz won 2 Slams just for practice" - Andy Roddick says there's no ceiling for Spaniard, backs him to match Andre Agassi's tally
Andy Roddick has high expectations from Carlos Alcaraz, expressing his admiration for the Spaniard's remarkable accomplishments.
On Sunday, March 3, Alcaraz squared off against Rafael Nadal in the Netflix Slam at the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. The event drew a global audience and was live streamed on Netflix.
Andy Roddick took on a commentary role at the event, alongside the likes of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Patrick McEnroe. Before the match, Roddick and Agassi, along with former player Prakash Amritraj and sports commentator Kay Adams, discussed the Spanish duo's remarkable achievements.
Roddick hailed Carlos Alcaraz for his impressive resume, saying that it appears as if the 20-year-old won two Grand Slam titles "just for fun."
"It was obvious from when he came and won his first Major at the US Open, which we're going to see here. Won a bunch of five-set night matches, down a match point, somehow negotiates his way through that draw and takes it," he said (at 7:16 during the broadcast).
"And this is the one [Wimbledon 2023 winning moment] that put him on an absolute global stage. Taking out the king, Novak, in his own backyard at Wimbledon in five sets. Just an unreal effort. You feel like he's just getting started and it's like he won two Slams just for practice. I can't wait to see the rest of his career," he added.
The American also expressed belief that there's no ceiling for the World No. 2, especially as the 'Big 3' of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic has obliterated all conceivable notions of a ceiling.
The former World No. 1 backed Alcaraz to match Andre Agassi and John McEnroe's Grand Slam tallies, who won eight and seven Majors, respectively, and even surpass them.
"I don't think there is one for him (a ceiling). The Big 3 have renogiated what a ceiling looks like. Before he even won a Slam, people were asking me, 'Is he going to win 10?' That's a little ridiculous when you have names like Agassi, McEnroe, and Connors, who won 8-7," he said.
"But I think he's going to be in that range for sure, as bottom. And I think he has the potential to maybe get double digits. Listen, we have to reset our expectations a little bit," he added.
Carlos Alcaraz delivered a strong performance at the Netflix Slam, beating Rafael Nadal 3-6, 6-4, 14-12 to clinch the trophy.
Carlos Alcaraz set for title defense at Indian Wells Masters
Following the Netflix Slam, Carlos Alcaraz will be in action at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters. The Spaniard will enter the tournament as the defending champion, having triumphed over Daniil Medvedev in the final last year.
The 20-year-old will be on the hunt for his first title since his triumph at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. Despite the mounting pressure because of his title drought, Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero recently shared that while the two-time Grand Slam champion undeniably wants to win, he isn't exhibiting any signs of stress.
"For any player, not winning tournaments can affect your confidence level. For very good players it is important to achieve the results that one sets in their path," Carlos Alcaraz's coach told Marca.
"Of course Carlos wants to win, but... I don't see him with any type of desire, and that is very important. He doesn't have the stress of I want to win, I want to win," he added.