Carlos Alcaraz wary of three younger rivals in candid admission at Barcelona Open

Carlos Alcaraz believes three young players could threaten his hopes at the biggest tournaments. The world No. 2 recently clinched his 18th career title at the Monte-Carlo Masters in what was an unusual event, with other top players like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev losing early.

While some of the world’s best have been struggling of late, Alcaraz thinks the sport is in a good spot thanks to a group of players even younger than he is, and he has now tipped the cohort to challenge for “big things”.

Alcaraz knows exactly what it’s like to be a teenage sensation. He burst onto the scene aged 18, winning the 2022 Madrid Open. By the end of the year, he’d won his first Grand Slam title in New York and become the youngest-ever world No. 1 in ATP history at 19.

Now closing in on his 22nd birthday, he has four Majors and added to his trophy cabinet in Monte-Carlo last week, collecting his sixth Masters 1000 crown. With the win, Alcaraz ended a disappointing run of form which saw him lose his opening match in Miami.

But some of his other rivals are still struggling. World No. 3 Zverev has gone 6-6 in matches since his Australian Open final loss in January and lost his opening round in Monaco.

Djokovic also fell at the first hurdle last week and, earlier this year, he went on a three-match losing streak. But, as tennis enters a transitional, post-Big Three period, Alcaraz believes the future of the sport is healthy.

“I think we’re in a very good moment, in the sense that there are a lot of young players capable of winning big titles, fighting for big things,” the world No. 2 said ahead of this week’s Barcelona Open.

The Spaniard has already been impressed with two teenagers, Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca, who became ATP Tour champions this season. And he liked what he saw in 20-year-old Arthur Fils when they met in Monaco last week.

Alcaraz continued: “We’ve seen it with Mensik, who’s a player who is going to keep growing but is already established.

“Joao Fonseca is a player I love watching, I think he has unique charisma on court at his age.

“I played Arthur Fils in Monte-Carlo and I came off court amazed at his power, physique and the level he could reach.”

The up-and-comers have already proven themselves on the tour and will now be looking to find some consistency. After beating Djokovic to win the Miami Open last month, Mensik made a losing return to competition in Munich.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Fonseca lost his opening match in Rio days after lifting his maiden title in Argentina. But Fils, 20, has already started putting some solid weeks together, reaching three Masters 1000 quarter-finals in a row.