Carlos Alcaraz has been compared to the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer by his next opponent Gael Monfils, with the Spaniard being labelled ‘a really complete player’.
In his first encounter since losing to Djokovic in the Olympic final, Alcaraz will take on Monfils in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters.
The matchup with Alcaraz was set up by Monfils’ 7-5 6-3 victory against Canadian Open champion Alexei Popyrin. The Frenchman was all praise for the four-time major winner.
“In terms of power, endurance, and speed, he is a complete athlete. Furthermore, Monfils stated, “Of course, his tennis is also quite comprehensive. It can be challenging to see where you can hit on the backhand or forehand. He’s serving large and has made great progress on the return. Simply put, he’s a very well-rounded player.
“Rafa, Roger, Novak, that’s how I see him right now,” he went on. Even though he’s not quite grown up yet, he’s already legendary.
The 37-year-old Monfils, who is making his 13th trip to the Cincinnati Masters, says he still looks forward to facing the greatest players. His best performance at the tournament came in 2011, when he made it to the quarterfinals.
Playing a major celebrity like Carlos or Jannik [Sinner] is always exciting for me; of course, back in the day, it was Novak, Rafa, and Roger. However, it’s always a pleasure to play those kids,” stated Monfils. “It will be a lot of fun for me,” Indeed, quite difficult, but it will be something I remember for a few years.
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