"Carlos Alcaraz can play all games" - Jimmy Connors urges Spaniard's rivals to study why he has won Wimbledon and US Open and they have not

Jimmy Connors has expressed his admiration for Carlos Alcaraz's complete skill set as a player and urged the Spaniard's rivals to study the approach that has led to his rapid rise to the top.

Alcaraz recently claimed his second Grand Slam title at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships after defeating Novak Djokovic 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the final.

On the latest episode of the 'Advantage Connors' podcast, Connors was asked by his son Brett if the World No. 1 was the most complete player he had witnessed at 20 years of age.

"You’ve always talked about how the next great player is going to be a “hybrid” player. Is Alcaraz the most complete player you’ve even seen at 20 years old?" Brett Connors ased.

In response, eight-time Grand Slam champion Connors concurred with former player Spencer Segura's assessment of Alcaraz as a "hybrid" player, highlighting the 20-year-old's ability to excel at all styles of tennis.

"Our friend of the show, Spencer Segura, said when we had a conversation after the final that he’s the next hybrid and he is, because he can play all games. He can be aggressive, he’s got defense, he’s not afraid to move forward, he mixes his shots up, he might serve and volley, he might do something different," he said.

Furthermore, he urged Alcaraz's rivals to analyze his playing style and approach in order to identify areas of improvement in their own games.

"Kids are watching and maybe even some of the other guys playing out there, they should maybe study him a little bit and see what it has taken for him to get to this position at 20 years old. And maybe say, 'What’s he doing that I’m not? Why is he winning Wimbledon and US Open and I’m not?'" he added.

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Carlos Alcaraz: "I’m keeping my eye on Novak Djokovic, I would love to play against him many more times"

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2023

Following his triumph over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2023, Carlos Alcaraz was asked whether he expected to face a consistent challenge from the Serb, despite him being 36 years old.

The World No. 1 acknowledged the increased competition he expects to face following his recent success. However, he emphasized that his primary focus remained on the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

"I know that now everyone will want to beat me and that’s nice, but at the same time I’m keeping my eye on Novak. I would love to play against him many more times, because it is a tremendous challenge and I still consider him to be the best," he said.

Alcaraz admitted that he needs to defeat Djokovic more than once in his career.

"I have always admired him, I have watched countless videos of him to learn. It’s not enough to win one game to change that, so I have to do it more times," he added.

Alcaraz will compete at the 2023 Canadian Open next. Djokovic, meanwhile, has withdrawn from the ATP Masters 1000 event due to fatigue.