Rafael Nadal has long been an idol for a generation of tennis players who grew up watching his dominance on the clay courts of Roland Garros.
For many young athletes, the Spanish star was someone they could look up to, alongside legends such as Roger Federer and Andre Agassi.
Nadal built an immortal legacy with 22 Grand Slam titles and an unprecedented record at the French Open. However, Carlos Alcaraz recently offered his honest opinion of who he believes is the greatest player in tennis history.
Carlos Alcaraz Picks Between Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic
Alcaraz revealed that Nadal was someone he always looked up to while growing up.
“For me Nadal was someone that I looked up to when I was a little kid growing up.”
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
While his admiration for the 14-time French Open champion is clear, Alcaraz also pointed to Novak Djokovic when discussing the GOAT debate from a statistical perspective.
“But the GOAT in terms of numbers and everything he has in tennis he has won everything not only one but twice is Djokovic,” he said.
Djokovic currently holds the record for the most Grand Slam men’s singles titles, with 24 major championships to his name.
The Serbian has won Wimbledon seven times and the Australian Open 10 times, while also becoming the first male player to win each of the four Grand Slam tournaments at least three times.
His longevity, success across all surfaces and record number of weeks spent as the World No. 1 have further strengthened his statistical case in the GOAT debate.
For Alcaraz, however, Nadal was the player he idolized as a child, while Djokovic’s numbers and achievements put him in a different category when looking at the sport’s records.
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