Alcaraz branded ‘phenomenon’ and better than tennis legends at 19

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Carlos Alcaraz has enjoyed a scintillating start to his tennis career. The Spaniard captured his maiden US Open crown last year and has already claimed three Masters 1000 titles before becoming world No.1. The 19-year-old has taken the game by storm and the coach of a rival has since made an bold claim, backing his rise to stardom.

Simone Vagnozzi, who coaches Italy’s Jannick Sinner, gushed over the tennis star’s abilities and even claimed he is far superior to sport’s big three of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, when they were his age. “We’re talking about a phenomenon,” he told UBITennis. “At 19 no one played like that, not even those we call sacred monsters like Djokovic, Rafa or Federer. No one had the completeness that he has at 19,” the coach said.

“If you watch an Alcaraz match when he was 15, you see that he could do more or less all the things he does even now: play the drop shot, comes to the net, serves and volleys, similar to what happens now, so it is a path that is completing over time.” Alcaraz and Sinner have contested five matches against one another, with the former prevailing on three occasions.

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Their greatest match was their thrilling US Open quarter-final last summer which ‘Carlitos’ won in five sets in over five hours, before going on to win his maiden Grand Slam. Both players have been touted as the new faces of tennis, with the sport somewhat undergoing a changing of the guard.

Alcaraz himself has deemed Sinner to be his biggest rival and has credited the Italian for making him a better player, but Vagnozzi believes the Spanish star is further ahead of his charge. “We must consider that he comes from more important experiences, he has won a Grand Slam, three Masters 1000, so even if he is younger he is probably more ready to play certain games,” he added.

“Alcaraz is ahead at the moment, but if we get to play against him we can play it.” The sport’s top-ranked star is still on course to defend his Miami Open crown and win the ‘Sunshine Double’ having emerged victorious at Indian Wells last weekend.

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He overcame Dusan Lajovic 6-0, 7-6(5) to reach the fourth round after one hour and 31 minutes of play on Sunday. The top seed overpowered Lajovic with his relentless aggression to seal his eighth consecutive straight-sets win. “I feel fast on court, I am moving well,” said Alcaraz, who has won 16 of his 17 matches this season.

“I am happy with the variety I am playing [with]. Lots of shots. I am enjoying every single second out there.” He needs victory in Miami to prevent Novak Djokovic from replacing him as No. 1 once again, with America’s Tommy Paul standing between Alcaraz and a spot in the quarter-finals.

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