Macci on Alcaraz: My own theory is that you're one injury away from also-ran status and early retirement, so predictions of the best ever are always premature until you are within striking distance of the record. Worse yet, is when the player makes that prediction. Alcaraz appears restrained on that unlike some others just starting out.
He has all the tools including a great attitude. Making predictions about the future as a best-ever always leaves me cold. Too many superb players have not gone the distance for many reasons. He will probably win some slams, but until he has a stack of slams to his name and is close to the now heralded 20-plus mark, this is pure folly to me. My view is that you're one injury away from also-ran status and early retirement, so predictions of the best ever are always premature until you are within striking distance of the record. Worse yet is when the player makes that prediction. Alcaraz appears restrained on that unlike some others just starting out. Jannik Sinner has also gotten accolades as a future great champ with many slams in his future. We could have a few future-great showing up every year so how many slams could any of these young men accumulate with the unknown of another prodigy on the horizon.
There
seems to be no doubt that Nadal recognizes that he's facing hard
challenges from younger players like Alcaraz. This is a breakthrough,
but before it's called a changing of the guard, I think that it has to
happen at one of the slams and preferably in the final. The past is
littered with seeming upsets from unknowns, yet in most cases, the big
names ended up in the finals of the slam events. When Alcaraz takes a
big prize away from an expected winner, he's announced a clear changing
of the guard. He's banging on the door of the Imperial Palace right
now.
