"I always said there will be always new superstars in the game" - Roger Federer on World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz

Roger Federer spoke highly of Carlos Alcaraz and expressed his disappointment at not having the chance to take on the young Spaniard in a competitive match on the court.

The Swiss maestro shocked the tennis world when he announced his retirement from the sport a few days ago. He also said that the 2022 Laver Cup would be his last ATP tournament.

In a press conference before the start of the tournament, Federer was asked for his views on the current World No. 1. The retiring star expressed that he wished to have played against him and said that the teenager had a "bright game" and could become one of the superstars of the sport.

"Yes, of course, it's disappointing I was never able to play against him. Of course I watched him closely what he did at the US Open and throughout the year. It's been fantastic, and I always said there will be always new superstars in the game, and he's one of them. The game is bright," he said.

Alcaraz rose to the top of the ATP rankings when he won the US Open earlier this month. Following news of the 20-time Grand Slam winner's retirement, the 19-year-old took to social media to pay tribute to the Swiss and expressed his desire to face him on the court.

While Federer and Alcaraz might never face each other in a competitive match, they did share time during a practice session a few years ago.

"It was nice to see, because that's what I always thought. I have a funny anecdote with Carlos, because I practiced with him at Wimbledon one year when he was playing the juniors. I thought he played well. You know, it was good practice," Federer recalled.

Roger Federer remains confident of tennis having new superstars in coming years

Roger Federer at a press conference ahead of the 2022 Laver Cup.

Roger Federer's decision to retire from professional tennis has caused tennis fans to ponder if there will be any superstars in the sport once the likes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic also retire.

The 41-year-old, however, saw no reason to fret as he believes that there will be players who will catch up on their legacy, if not surpass them. He said that people asked similar questions when Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi retired.

"I know sometimes people don't tend to see that or think that. It was the same thing when Pete and Andre left. They thought, well, what do we have here now? Guys who win slams, there is never the same winner. Well, they got the same winners for a lot of years. It was Novak, Rafa, myself, Murray and Stan," Roger Federer said.

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