KEY POINTS

  • Carlos Alcaraz recently became the youngest ATP World No. 1
  • He achieved the feat after winning the US Open 2022
  • Alcaraz is currently competing in the Davis Cup

Former Spanish tennis player David Ferrer has said World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz reminds him of Rafael Nadal when he was a teenager.

Alcaraz and Nadal have several similarities, especially when it comes to how they handle pressure, according to Ferrer, who is the director of the Davis Cup. He termed Alcaraz a "Special player," who has a lot of hunger for success.

"What can I tell you? What is clear is that he is a special player, different. It is tremendous that at that age he assumes these responsibilities, that he is not afraid of the opposite and that he always wants more," Ferrer said in an interview with the Spanish outlet Punto de Break.

Ferrer went on to claim that Alcaraz, who is the youngest ATP top-ranked player, is "superior" to others in his age group.

"That's what amazes me about him, he reminds me of Rafa when he was that age, that way of assuming pressure, he had no problem with that. Apart from that, tennis, physically and mentally he is superior to the others at that age," Ferrer added.

The 19-year-old recently won his maiden Grand Slam when he triumphed at the US Open, becoming the youngest Grand Slam winner since Nadal in 2005.

Ferrer also spoke about Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and the impact he has had on the young Spaniard.

"Carlos is a player who met all the conditions to get to the place he is now, to be number 1 and win Grand Slams. What I think is that without Juan Carlos he would not have achieved it at this age, he has done an exceptional job to make all this happen," Ferrer said.

Carlos Alcaraz is has won 20 of 21 matches on clay this year
Carlos Alcaraz recently won his maiden Grand Slam AFP / Christophe ARCHAMBAULT

The former World No. 3 added that Ferrero had the "essential" qualities to help Alcaraz.

"Juan Carlos has lived those moments, he knows very well what pressure is, he can transmit it. Also, as a coach he has something very good: he has personality and criteria. When it comes to helping Carlos, this is essential," said Ferrer before noting that Alcaraz was able to put his coach's lessons into practice. "Fortunately, Carlos is also a humble player, he wants to learn and is smart to adapt every concept that Juan Carlos tries to teach him."