"Nadal was like blunt force, Djokovic is a wrestler, Federer had grace; best version of Carlos Alcaraz will get more Novak in his game" - Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick has shared an insight into Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's playing styles to highlight the adjustments Carlos Alcaraz should consider for his game.
Djokovic, Nadal and Federer, collectively known as the 'Big 3,' dominated the men's tennis landscape over the last two decades, winning 66 Grand Slam titles between them. One of the most compelling aspects of their rivalry has been witnessing how their distinct playing styles match up with each other.
On the 'Served with Andy Roddick' podcast, Roddick provided an analysis of each 'Big 3' member's unique game. He likened Rafael Nadal's style to blunt force trauma due to his intense physicality on court.
Comparatively, the American described Novak Djokovic as akin to a wrestler, emphasizing the relentless pressure he put on his opponents by giving them no chance of escape. Meanwhile, he defined Roger Federer's game by his inherent grace and remarkable racquet skills.
"I think in our generation it was like the players wanted to watch Roger because he could do things racquet skill-wise. And Rafa was like this blunt force trauma of physicality and spin," he said (at 20:52).
"And Novak is like a wrestler who gets you into holds that you can’t get out of. Whereas, Roger kind of had this grace and he would come out with shots that looked like he was playing video games," he added.
Roddick asserted that Carlos Alcaraz embodied a combination of all three players but suggested that the World No. 3 is still refining his approach.
He proposed that the Spaniard will attain his "best version" when he incorporates more elements of Djokovic's playing style into his game by prioritizing consistency over spectacle.
"And now Alcaraz is almost like a combination of all three. He’s still finding his way. I think the best version of himself will be when he gets a little more Novak into his game, where he makes things a little more boring and isn’t spectacular all the time," Roddick said.
The former World No. 1 also added that Andre Agassi has a similar view on the necessity for Alcaraz to embrace a more "boring" approach to achieve the next level of success.
"When I was with Andre Agassi in Vegas, that’s kind of what he was saying is that he is so spectacular that the next point of success is becoming maybe a little bit more boring on court and kind of getting people and locking them down and not throwing as many uppercuts," he said.
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz set to commence clay season at Monte-Carlo Masters 2024; Rafael Nadal expected to make comeback
Following his shock third-round exit at the Indian Wells Masters, Novak Djokovic will make his return to the court at the Monte-Carlo Masters to kick off his claycourt season.
Djokovic will be joined by top seeds Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and defending champion Andrey Rublev at the Masters 1000 event, which commences on April 7.
Rafael Nadal, who pulled out of Indian Wells due to lingering injury concerns, is expected to make his highly anticipated comeback to the tour in Monte-Carlo. In his 18th appearance, the Spaniard will be on the hunt for his 12th title.