Rafael Nadal believes Carlos Alcaraz can win Australian Open 2022, says the Spanish teen has "huge potential"
Rafael Nadal recently heaped praise on Spanish teen prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, who has been making giant strides on the men's tour over the last year. Speaking to the ATP, Nadal said the 18-year-old has a chance to win the ongoing Australian Open and seal his first Major title.
“Does he have a chance of winning here? Yes, what can I say? Why not?" Nadal said to the ATP. "He’s a young player that is clearly on the up and we’ll see what happens. At the moment, everything is unpredictable and he’s a player with huge potential."
The Spaniard highlighted the fact that Alcaraz has made immense progress, rising from outside the top 100 last year to his current career-high of No. 31.
“Last year he made big strides up the rankings and in his level. I’m sure he will do so again this year. From there, we’ll see from day to day where his potential takes him,” he said.
The 20-time Slam champion then credited Alcaraz's talent and work ethic for his recent success.
“At the end of the day, when you have all that potential and you’re a hard worker too, it’s unlikely things will go badly for you. You would expect him to have more chances to fight for big things as each tournament goes by,” the Spaniard said.
Juan Carlos Ferrero agrees with Rafael Nadal's assessment of Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero said he agreed with Nadal's assessment of the 18-year-old Spaniard.
“Of course, Rafa’s words are wonderful and we’re grateful for them. I really agree with what he said. He has potential. Now we just need to see when he fulfills it at an important tournament like this one.”
According to Ferrero, Alcaraz is always thinking about winning big tournaments, including the Australian Open. He did, however, warn fans to keep their expectations in check, as Alcaraz is still relatively inexperienced compared to many of his peers.
“Of course, he’s thinking about winning here some time; this year, next year, or whenever. Let’s hope it’s as soon as possible. He’s working very well, he’s had a very good preseason and he’s playing very well."
"But to win here you have to beat very good and experienced players that are just as well-prepared as he is so, as Rafa said, anything can happen, but let’s not build it up anymore.”
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