“Without having yet turned 23, he has already earned his place among the greatest players in history”: Toni Nadal defines Carlos Alcaraz’s place in tennis

Toni Nadal, former coach of Rafael Nadal, wrote a column for El País analysing Carlos Alcaraz’s great triumph in the Australian Open final against Novak Djokovic. The legendary coach – who accompanied Rafa in 16 of his major titles – assured that Carlitos “has already earned his place among the greatest players in history in his own right”.

At 22 years old, Alcaraz can already boast seven Grand Slam titles and has become the fifth player of the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam – at least one trophy at each of the four major tournaments – while also becoming the youngest to achieve it, surpassing the record set by Rafael Nadal at the 2010 US Open, when he was 24.

The world No. 1 had a smooth path to the semifinals, without complications, claiming five straight-set victories, including rivals such as Tommy Paul (19th) and Alex de Minaur (6th). However, in the semifinals he had to survive more than five hours of play against Alexander Zverev, securing an epic five-set victory to advance for the first time to the final in Melbourne.

His opponent in the final would be none other than 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, who had come through another five-set battle lasting more than four hours against the two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner. After such demanding duels, for Toni Nadal the favourite in the final was still Alcaraz. “Although both (Alcaraz and Djokovic) had suffered very tough and closely contested semifinals, with agonising victories for both in five dramatic sets that pushed them to their limit, it was clear that this circumstance would favour the player from Murcia even more.”

According to Uncle Toni - in his regular opinion column for the Spanish newspaper - Alcaraz’s favouritism was clear on this occasion. “The sixteen-year age difference between the two, as well as the Serbian’s current tennis level, which logically is far from what he displayed in the years when he exercised his dominance in world tennis, made this foreseeable.”

However, standing in front of him was the greatest player in history: the all-time Grand Slam champion, the most successful champion at the Australian Open (with a perfect 10–0 record in finals in Melbourne) and the player with the most Grand Slam finals in history (38). But beyond history, the victory against Sinner showed that he was ready to fight any player who stood in front of him.

“There is no doubt that Nole remains an extraordinary competitor, a born fighter and an exemplary athlete in his extreme focus and tireless discipline. But the years take their toll. At almost 39, properly recovering the body after the enormous effort he had to make in that last match against Sinner seemed to me, as to the vast majority, an almost impossible task.”

The first set indeed began with Djokovic in control, something that Toni Nadal himself acknowledged caused him doubts as to whether Alcaraz would be capable of overcoming a complicated start, with Nole taking the lead in the opening set 6–2. “This closing of the set was the only moment when Spanish fans were able to harbour some doubts and the fear that our player’s victory might be in danger. The question at that moment was to find out whether Nole’s physical resistance would be able to sustain this level for all the hours the match might last.”

"We all knew – and more than anyone, the two protagonists themselves – that the only possible chance of victory for the most decorated player in history lay in a fast match in which he was able to come close to perfection and in which, at the same time, Carlos was not very inspired. Fortunately for our interests, that did not happen."

The rest is history, with an Alcaraz who did not hesitate in the following sets and ended up taking the victory 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5. He secured his seventh Grand Slam trophy and confirmed himself as world No. 1 more than ever, with a wide advantage over his closest pursuer, Jannik Sinner.

He is only the fifth player to complete the Career Grand Slam and has already placed himself among the ten greatest champions in history in major tournaments, something that for Nadal already situates Alcaraz in the historic elite of tennis. “Without having yet turned 23, and equalling, among others, a tennis legend such as John McEnroe, it clearly indicates that he has already earned his place among the greatest players in history in his own right.”

Alcaraz equalled the seven Grand Slam titles of John McEnroe and Mats Wilander, and only seven players have won more major trophies than Alcaraz – led by Djokovic’s 24. The Serbian, by the time he turned 23 in May 2010, had won just one Grand Slam title.