"Carlos Alcaraz has that aura, that feeling" - Rafael Nadal endorses compatriot's potential as "one of the best in history" after 2nd Wimbledon win

Rafael Nadal has heaped praise on his countryman Carlos Alcaraz, describing the youthful star as someone who possessed a unique "aura". The 21-year-old recently won his fourth Grand Slam title after successfully defending his Wimbledon by beating Novak Djokovic in the final.

Alcaraz produced a sensational performance to register a comprehensive 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) win over the Serb and hand him only his second straight-set defeat in a title clash at the London Major. It was the World No. 3's third title of the 2024 season.

Rafael Nadal heaped praise on Carlos Alcaraz during an interview in Bastad. The 38-year-old said that there weren't many players on the ATP Tour who would be able to get the better of the 21-year-old. He also said that Alcaraz had an "aura" that made him the favorite in all the tournaments he competed in, regardless of the surface.

"I don't see many players who can stop him on the circuit and that the best thing he has today is that in all the tournaments he plays, no matter the surface, he will be the favorite. No player was the favorite before every tournament and today I feel that he has that aura, that feeling. That's a big advantage because I think he feels that if he plays at his level it's hard for anyone to beat him," Nadal said (as quoted by Punto de Break).

Rafael Nadal predicts a stellar future for Carlos Alcaraz

The Spanish duo pictured together during the Netflix Slam (Image Source:GETTY)

Nadal also predicted a bright future for Alcaraz in the aforementioned interview. The 22-time Grand Slam champion touted his compatriot to become one of the greatest tennis players in history, citing his "enormous potential".

“My impression is that we are talking about a player who is going to be one of the best in history. That is my feeling. He is a player with enormous potential. Life can change quickly, that is the truth. You never know what can happen in the future, but today, if we have to predict what will happen in his career, we predict amazing thing," the 38-year-old said.

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz have faced one another thrice so far, with the former leading 2-1 in their head-to-head. However, Alcaraz beat the 38-year-old in their last encounter, which came in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open.

The two Spaniards are set to team up for the men's doubles event at the Paris Olympics.