Tennis players generally don't replace each other when one retires but David Ferrer sees Carlos Alcaraz as Nadal's natural replacement.
There are some stark similarities between the two players and while comparisons have been made Alcaraz himself rejected those. The Spaniard even admitted that his favourite player growing up was Roger Federer and his games does not look that much like Nadal's.
Still, Ferrer is excited about the prospect of Spain continuing to have one of the best in the world under its flag:
"It is clear that Carlos is a blessing. We have Rafa Nadal, who is unique, but the truth is that we have relief because he is a different player, special. Rafa Nadal is unique, but Carlos is his natural successor; he has something different."
He continued:
"Yes, it is surprising how he has faced favoritism and pressure at 19 years old. He has something different from the others as in his day happened with Rafa, Federer and Djokovic. He is a tennis player who possesses all the shots and dominates the point. He is humble and wants to continue learning every day."