Eye of the Coach #65: “Carlos Alcaraz combines the qualities of the Big 3”

Carlos Alcaraz won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open on Sunday, with victory over Casper Ruud. At 19, the Spaniard is the youngest man ever to top the ATP rankings and the teenager seems to have everything he needs to conquer the tennis world.

In the latest episode of Eye of the Coach, Patrick Mouratoglou explains why Alcaraz combines the qualities of the Big 3 – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

“If I have to define his style, he’s super-aggressive slash creative, with touch, which is something we’ve never seen,” the Frenchman said.

Key Moments:

0.15: In pure game style, Mouratoglou says Alcaraz is most like Roger Federer. “He looks to move inside the court as early as he can in the rally. When he’s inside the baseline, he’s unbelievably efficient, and he comes to the net to finish all the points.

0.37: His transition is also like Federer, Mouratoglou says. “His ability to move from behind to inside the baseline so fast is Roger’s style 100 percent too.

0.45: Mouratoglou says Alcaraz is also like Federer in two other ways. “He’s super-creative and he’s mentally always aggressive.

1.02: Alcaraz also embodies the physicality of Nadal and Djokovic, Mouratoglou says. “He’s a counter-puncher too; he’s able to play longer rallies with spin – more like Rafa, and he’s a counter-puncher more like Novak, and he returns great.

1.15: Mouratoglou outlines how he combines incredible power and soft touch. “The violence with which he hits his shots when he wants to go for a winner is crazy. But also his ability to hit incredible drop shots or lobs with so much touch, it’s rare.

1.35: “If I have to define his style, he’s super-aggressive slash creative, with touch, which is something we’ve never seen.”

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