"What he has done over the last couple of months has proven to him that he can be the best player in the world" - Rennae Stubbs on Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz had for a long time been described as the next big thing on the tennis circuit, but the teenager's title win in Miami was the catalyst for a phenomenal ascent, according to coach and commentator Rennae Stubbs.
A four-time Grand Slam champion in women's doubles, Stubbs opined that winning the Masters 1000 event in Florida has helped Alcaraz believe in himself and grasp the fact that he can become the best player in the world.
On the Courtside with Beilinson Tennis show, Stubbs outlined the importance of the period since the Miami Open with respect to Alcaraz's spectacular rise.
"The key is not talent. We already knew he had talent. The truth is can you mentally grasp being the best player in the world - and, I think what he has done over the last couple of months has proven to him that he can be the best player in the world," she said.
You know Alcaraz is special because you don't know what to be most impressed by.
The speed? The power? The lob? The drop shot? The mental?
Idk. All of it. That's how you know.
Playing at Wimbledon could be a challenge for the 19-year-old, according to Stubbs. However, she did highlight that the courts at the All England Club are a lot slower now than they were in the past, which could work in the Spaniard's favor.
"It will be interesting to see him play on grass although Wimbledon is so different to what it was 20 years ago. I mean it is a slow court. It is almost slower than the hard courts that you can play on at times, especially the US Open," Stubbs said.
"So, it will be interesting to see him play there bit I think the wins since Miami, have really galvanised him to believe and that is the key."
"He moves better than any player on the tour, he is equivalent to Novak when Novak was at his best" - Rennae Stubbs on Carlos Alcaraz
The former doubles World No. 1 emphasized that the Spaniard has no flaws in his game and that his ability to advance to the net to finish off points is a sign of a great player.
"His tennis is good enough. He has no weaknesses in his game - zero. I love the fact that he actually goes into the net a tremendous amount to finish points off. I think that was always going to be the next bastion of a great player. The player who likes to get in, like Tsitsipas - same thing," she said.
"But he is better from the back of the court than Tsitsipas is - particularly on the backhand."
The 51-year-old Australian stated that Alcaraz moves better on the court than any player on the tour at this moment in time. She also went as far as to compare the Spaniard's speed and agility with that of Novak Djokovic in his prime.
Carlos Alcaraz is built different 🧬
@alcarazcarlos03 #MMOPEN https://t.co/YAFqMXTKQw
"He moves better than any player on the tour. He is equivalent to Novak when Novak was at his best. He has the splits. He can get out wide. He can explosively move forward and side to side. Clearly, we will see what he can do at the Grand Slams because he hasnt really done that yet but he is just 19," she said.
"So, there is no doubt in my mind, by the end of the year, he can be No. 1."
Alcaraz decided to withdraw from the ongoing Italian Open to rest his ankle ahead of Roland Garros, which kicks off later this month.