Carlos Alcaraz: "I want to beat Nadal and Djokovic, my dream is to be one of the best in history"

Carlos Alcaraz has never had any qualms about admitting that he wanted to be one of the best players in history. The World No. 1 reiterated the sentiment once more, this time adding that being the best meant he had to beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as many times as possible.

Speaking to Eurosport for the Players' Voice column, the Spaniard revealed that his main goal for the season was to add to his Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tallies. Alcaraz has one Major to his name already -- the 2022 US Open title, where he beat Casper Ruud in the final.

On the other hand, he has three Masters 1000 titles -- the Miami Open and the Madrid Open from last year, and the BNP Paribas Open just last week. In Indian Wells, the teenager beat former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the final to win the event without dropping a set.

"When thinking about a goal for this year, I have to win a Grand Slam... or at least try to win another Grand Slam and more Masters 1000 events. Those are big goals for me. Staying at world No. 1, you get there by winning majors and Masters 1000s, it is no secret. I will try to do my best in these kinds of tournaments," Alcaraz said.

Carlos Alcaraz then expanded on his dreams. He noted that he wanted to write his own history, while at the same time remaining competitive against stalwarts of the game like Nadal and Djokovic.

While the World No. 1 admitted that it was a "complicated" dream to have, one that might even be impossible, he did not want himself to dream any smaller.

"I want to beat Nadal and Djokovic, but I am not here to take any Grand Slams away from them or prevent either of them from being the best of all time. I am just trying to write my own history," Carlos Alcaraz said.

"I want to win Slams. I am ambitious and my goals are big, I'm not going to lie. My dream is to be one of the best in history, to try to get somehow close to them.

"I know it will be very complicated - maybe even impossible - but in this world you have to think big and dream big. In the end, that is my dream today."

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"I don't worry too much about defending points, I just think about enjoying the tournament" - Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 Miami Open

Up next, Carlos Alcaraz will be in action at the 2023 Miami Open, where he is the defending champion, having beaten Casper Ruud in the final last year.

The Spaniard admitted that he would have to defend a lot of points in the tournament if he wanted to remain at the top of the rankings. However, his goal ultimate goal was to qualify for the ATP Finals at the end of the year.

Hence, the teenager was more interested in enjoying himself and trying to do his best than in worrying about defending his title in the second half of the Sunshine Double.

"In Miami, I’m going to have to start defending a lot of points. I think about that subconsciously because you want to be at the top of the rankings. But together with my team, we have always said that the important thing is the race to the Nitto ATP Finals," Carlos Alcaraz said.

"If you have a good year in the race, you will finish high in the rankings. I don't worry too much about defending points, I just think about enjoying the tournament I am playing, and trying to do the best I can."