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Tennis legend Boris Becker recently expressed his wish that World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz never loses his desire and mood for the game.
Alcaraz made a name for himself at the age of 19, winning his first Major at the 2022 US Open. He also became the World No. 1 player by defeating the likes of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal over the course of the year.
The Spaniard also won the fourth Masters 1000 title of his career at the Madrid Open in May 2023. He will now begin his Italian Open campaign and will overtake Djokovic as the world No. 1 even if he loses his first match in Italy.
Boris Becker recently told Eurosport that Carlos Alcaraz has the "talent and the appetite" to dominate the sport in the coming years, but there are many variables that can go wrong.
"He would have the talent and the appetite for it. But so many things can go wrong. He can get injured or lose the will once he has won everything three or four times," Becker said.
However, the German quickly expressed his hope that the 20-year-old does not lose interest in tennis and that people will talk about him for years to come.
"My wish is that he doesn't lose the desire and the mood for our wonderful sport and that we'll still be talking about Carlos Alcaraz in 15 years' time," Becker said.
"He's rewriting tennis history" - Boris Becker on Carlos Alcaraz
Boris Becker went on to say that Carlos Alcaraz's powerful style of play is the most impressive aspect of his game, comparing him to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Becker went on to say that the young Spaniard is rewriting tennis history because he has more punch and topspin in his game than the two 22-time Grand Slam champions.
"Carlos plays tennis very differently. What impresses me the most is his powerful style of play. When he hits his forehand with full topspin, there's no grass anymore [a German proverb that his hitting is so effective]," Becker said.
"Whoever dares take on a rally against him has lost anyway. We used to say that about [Rafael] Nadal and [Novak] Djokovic. But Alcaraz has even more punch and even more topspin in his shots. That's why he's rewriting tennis history," he added.
Alcaraz will begin his Italian Open campaign in the second round against compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
