Carlos Alcaraz will be World No. 9 on his 19th birthday: Where were Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at the same age?

Carlos Alcaraz broke into the top 10 of the ATP rankings this week, following his title run at the 2022 Barcelona Open. The teenager defeated Pablo Carreno Busta in straight sets in the final to notch up his third title of the year and his fourth overall.

By doing so, the 18-year-old became the youngest player to crack the top 10 since compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2005. The Mallorcan was only a month younger than Alcaraz at the time of his achievement -- 18 years and 10 months. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, on the other hand, were more than 19 years of age by the time they secured single-digit rankings.

Carlos Alcaraz's 19th birthday is coming up in a few days (May 5), meaning he will be ranked World No. 9 when he celebrates the occasion in the midst of the Madrid Masters. This begs the question, where were the Big 3 ranked when they were 19?

Rafael Nadal is the only member of the Big 3 who had a better ranking than Carlos Alcaraz when he turned 19

Rafael Nadal was ranked World No. 5 on his 19th birthday, 4 spots better than Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Nadal was ranked No. 5 on his 19th birthday (3 June 2005), mainly thanks to his title runs at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Barcelona Open and Rome Masters in the lead up to Roland Garros that year. Interestingly, he broke into the top 10 on the same day as Carlos Alcaraz, 17 years earlier.

On his 19th birthday, Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open. Two days later, he bested Mariano Puerta in the final to bring up his first Grand Slam title.

A year later, on his 20th birthday, Nadal rose to World No. 2, a position he held on to until his 21st birthday. Finally, in 2008 at the age of 22 years and two months, he ascended to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time.

Roger Federer had not won a single ATP tour title before his 19th birthday

Roger Federer was ranked World No. 39 on his 19th birthday, 30 spots lower than Carlos Alcaraz

Roger Federer was ranked World No. 39 on his 19th birthday (8 August 2000), and had reached the third round of the Australian Open and fourth round of Roland Garros that year.

Unlike Carlos Alcaraz, the Swiss was yet to win an ATP tour title at the time. The closest he had come was at the 2000 Marseille Open, losing to Marc Rosset in the final. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had to wait three more years to win his first Grand Slam title -- the 2003 Wimbledon Championships.

The former World No. 1 was ranked No. 14 on his 20th birthday as well as his 21st birthday. In 2004, at the age of 22 years and five months, Federer finally ascended to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time ever.

Novak Djokovic was ranked outside the top 50 on his 19th bithday

Novak Djokovic was ranked World No. 63 on his 19th birthday, 54 spots lower than Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic was ranked World No. 63 on his 19th birthday (22 May 2006), but had already played five Grand Slams with third-round finishes at the 2005 Wimbledon and US Open.

Following a quarter-final run at the 2006 French Open, the Serb broke into the top 50. The 20-time Grand Slam champion won his first ATP title that year, beating Nicolas Massu in the final of the Dutch Open.

The Serb broke into the top-10 shortly before his 20th birthday, rising to World No. 6 on 22 May 2007. On his 21st birthday, Djokovic was ranked World No. 3 and had already won his first Grand Slam at the 2008 Australian Open. Finally, in 2011 at the age of 24 years and one month, he ascended to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time ever.

Carlos Alcaraz still has a long way to go before he can be spoken of in the same breath as the Big 3, but he is certainly on the right track.