MADRID — Novak Djokovic believes Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has already reached the elite level once held by the sport’s legendary “Big Three” — himself, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Speaking Thursday ahead of his opening match at the Madrid Open, Djokovic said the 21-year-old has surpassed what the trio had achieved at his age and could be destined for tennis history.
“He’s already a Grand Slam champion. He’s been number one in the world. He’s won big titles on different surfaces,” Djokovic said. “I don’t think there’s any need to talk about his potential — he’s already realized most of it.”
Djokovic praised Alcaraz’s early dominance and adaptability, citing his composure on all surfaces and ability to win against top-ranked players.
“With a long career in front of him, barring injuries, he’s going to be one of the leaders of the game,” Djokovic added. “We’re going to see a lot of him, no doubt — winning the biggest titles.”
Alcaraz, however, withdrew from the Madrid Open earlier this week due to hamstring and groin injuries, disrupting his preparations for next month’s French Open title defense.
The world number three was scheduled to play his opening match Friday after receiving a second-round bye, but cited lingering issues stemming from his loss in the Barcelona Open final.
Alcaraz was defeated in straight sets by Denmark’s Holger Rune, who ended the Spaniard’s bid for a third Barcelona crown.
The 2023 French Open champion required a medical timeout during the final and received additional treatment before ultimately falling to Rune.
As a result of the loss, Alcaraz dropped to No. 3 in the ATP world rankings.
The next major test in the clay-court season will be the Italian Open, a Masters 1000 tournament running from May 7 to 18 in Rome.
Top-ranked Jannik Sinner is expected to return for the event after serving a doping suspension, adding further intensity to the pre-Roland Garros build-up.
The main draw of the French Open begins May 25 at Roland Garros in Paris.
