"We have to let this guy be his own person" - Andy Roddick disapproves of Alcaraz comparisons to Nadal

Andy Roddick has called on people to stop making comparisons between Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal. The 18-year-old made history on Sunday when he became the youngest man ever to win the Miami Open and the third-youngest to win a Masters 1000 title by defeating Casper Ruud 7-5 6-4 in the final.

As one of Nadal's fellow Spaniards, Alcaraz has long been likened to the world No 3 by everyone including the man himself, who sees his younger self in the world No 11. The 18-year-old has been able to match and even break some of Nadal's own records, including in Miami.

In the wake of the Alcaraz hype that has come from his run in Florida, a former world No.1 has urged fans to stop comparing the two players. Andy Roddick said the teenager needed the space to be his own person instead of facing the pressure of living up to the 21-time Major champion.

"I can't mention anything about Alcaraz on Twitter without someone automatically saying, 'Well, Rafa did this' and 'You know, Rafa did that'," the 2003 US Open champion-turned-Tennis Channel pundit said. "We have to let this guy be his own person. And he seems comfortable in his own skin. He seems comfortable with the way he plays. I just don't think it’s going to faze him."

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And asked whether he had seen anyone like Alcaraz before, Roddick admitted the same comparisons were made for the likes of Nadal and Federer when people started to recognize their greatness. "Yes, name is Rafa. His name was Roger. His name was Andre [Agassi] at a certain time. The company he is keeping with these comparisons elicit that sort of name to make an apples-to-apples comparison," the American continued.

The former World No.1 also put faith in Alcaraz to perform in his first Masters 1000 final instead of cracking under the pressure, and wasn't wrong. "Normally, I question, 'Listen, an 18-year-old in this big of a final for the first time, how is he going to come out?' I don't really doubt the way he is going to come out. I think his team is going to like the way he comes out," he said.

Alcaraz's next tournament after his historic win will be another Masters 1000, this time in Monte-Carlo Masters. The first Masters event of the clay-court season, the Spaniard's self-confessed strongest surface, begins in a week.