Mats Wilander: Carlos Alcaraz is similar to Roger Federer, could be 'second most important' player in history

Updated 04/04/2024 at 13:26 GMT

Carlos Alcaraz has slipped down the world rankings, moving out of the top two for the first time since winning the US Open in 2022. Inconsistent form saw him fail to land the Sunshine Double as he was knocked out of the Miami Open in the quarter-finals after winning Indian Wells. Mats Wilander is backing him to become as important to the game as Roger Federer.

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Mats Wilander thinks Carlos Alcaraz's inconsistency and unpredictability will lead to him being one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

The Spaniard, 20, has dropped out of the world's top two for the first time since his rapid rise to the top of the game culminated in him winning the US Open in 2022.

Despite victory at Indian Wells in March, Alcaraz followed it up with a humbling straight sets defeat in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open at the hands of Grigor Dimitrov.

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Novak Djokovic has dominated the sport in recent years, with the Serbian spending over 400 weeks as world No.1.

Wilander thinks Alcaraz's career will take a very different path.

"No, I don't believe that he can do that [be world No.1 for 400 weeks]. And when I see Carlos Alcaraz play tennis, it reminds me so much of the great Roger Federer.

"Again, I normally call him [Federer] the greatest player of all time, and that has nothing to do with the statistics or the results. It has to do with what he meant for the sport, the expectations that people had. Carlos Alcaraz is going through the same thing.

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"People are expecting more than a player winning matches.

"The opponents of Carlos Alcaraz, they love it. They love playing against him, just like Grigor Dimitrov, because it's fun.

"He hits drop shots, he comes to the net.

"The fact that Roger Federer was able to stay on top for so long without having that mental intimidation towards his opponents, to me, is one of the reasons why I think he's the most important tennis player to ever play our sport.

"I think Carlos Alcaraz could become the second most important tennis player to ever play our sport because of what he brings to the court.

"But that doesn't mean that the consistency in the rankings is going to be in the same way as a Novak Djokovic or even like a Jannik Sinner. It's not the way he plays tennis."

Alcaraz ‘felt 13 years old’ in Miami defeat to Dimitrov

Alcaraz is expected to begin his clay-court season at the Monte Carlo Masters, as he begins his build-up to the French Open.

Wilander thinks slipping down the rankings could serve as a blessing in disguise for the young Spaniard.

"Carlos Alcaraz is dealing with something that maybe Nick Kyrgios had to deal with at times, which is people are expecting more of Carlos Alcaraz than just winning tennis matches," he said.

"They are expecting him to hit great shots, to make these unbelievable saves defensively and then turn it around.

"I think for him, it's going to be quite tiring throughout a whole career to always feel like not only does he have to win, but he does feel like I have to perform in the entertainment part.

"I think falling out of the top two, it's most probably a little bit of a relief."

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