It’s only natural that, with the Big Three’s reign of dominance coming to an end, tennis should look to who might be next up to take their place.
After all, we have never seen a monopoly in tennis like it before, where three men dominated the ATP so ruthlessly.
The clamour for players to live up to such hype is unprecedented because there has never been anyone as good as them, but two men are certainly trying their best to meet expectations.
Although, for Carlos Alcaraz, comparisons to one of that legendary trio are frustratingly inevitable.
Daria Kasatkina slams Carlos Alcaraz treatment
Speaking to TNNS, the affable Russian tennis star and former world number eight has admitted to being somewhat frustrated with how Alcaraz is consistently treated.
After all, she thinks that, despite their shared nationality, there is little else that he and Rafael Nadal have in common. Yet, they are constantly compared.
Kasatkina complained: ‘I’ve never really liked it when they put labels on young players. Labels from older players, it’s just wrong. We always had it like ‘the second Maria Sharapova’ or ‘the next Nadal’, also in football ‘the next Messi or Ronaldo’.
‘It just feels so wrong. I mean why? Different people, different levels. First of all, time doesn’t stand still. Why would you compare new generations to the previous one?
‘Everybody is unique and different, even on the court. Rafa and Alcaraz have a different vibe from each other. What they have in common is they’re both Spanish.
‘Wow really? And their ‘vamos’ and being emotional too. But I think it has to do more with their personalities. Their styles of play are completely different.
‘Alcaraz is a righty for one! And I really enjoy watching the way Alcaraz plays, he knows how to put on a show.’
Could Carlos Alcaraz emulate Rafael Nadal?
Whilst they may not really be similar in playing style, there’s every chance that Alcaraz could emulate Nadal in terms of trophies won.
After all, with four Grand Slam titles at the age of just 21, he is already on track to surpass all of the Big Three, having achieved more than they had done at his age.
Success is not guaranteed, but it’s worth noting that his major titles have also been spread across the three surfaces too.
Nadal’s main excellence came on clay, and there is no way that any player will ever be as dominant as he once was.
However, there’s every chance that Alcaraz could match the 22 Grand Slams he won, especially featuring in an era with far less competition than the 37-year-old endured.
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