Spanish tennis icon Rafael Nadal believes rising superstar Carlos Alcaraz has all the qualities needed to surpass his legendary record of 22 Grand Slam titles. Alcaraz, just 22 years old, has already claimed six Grand Slam trophies, establishing himself as one of the most dominant players of the new generation.
In a recent conversation with El Larguero, Nadal expressed deep admiration for Alcaraz’s talent and long-term potential. When asked about the young Spaniard’s future achievements, Nadal said he has always viewed Alcaraz as a player capable of “making history.”
Reflecting on the trajectory of Alcaraz’s career, Nadal said: “I don’t tend to have high expectations, I’ve always seen him as very good, with the potential to make history in our sport. 22 Grand Slams? Why not? Six is already a lot and he has a spectacular trajectory.”
Nadal emphasised that the key to surpassing his record will be Alcaraz’s fitness and ability to avoid injuries.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion stressed that staying injury-free will determine how far Alcaraz can go.
“The most important thing is that he doesn’t get injured. If you don’t have injuries, you don’t lose confidence in your body, and that keeps you improving.”
Nadal himself battled multiple injuries throughout his career but still carved out one of the greatest legacies in tennis. Alcaraz, though still early in his career, has also faced injury setbacks—but has continued winning at a pace comparable to Nadal at the same age.
With six Majors already under his belt and Nadal’s vote of confidence, Alcaraz stands as the strongest contender to rewrite tennis history in the coming decade.
