"I've seen Federer, Nadal and Djokovic when they were young but in the last 30 years, I haven't seen anyone like Carlos Alcaraz" - Rick Macci

Tennis' rising sensation Carlos Alcaraz has been making the news this year as the Spaniard has had an incredible start to the season and is a legitimate threat at every event he participates in.

Alcaraz's aggressive and craft game, coupled with his blistering footwork and movement, have earned him plaudits from the tennis fraternity. The latest in a long line of fans is Rick Macci, former coach of Andy Roddick, Serena Williams and others. Macci raved about the qualities of Alcaraz and the things that make him special in a YouTube video on his channel.

"I've seen a lot of players come and go, people with a lot of potential. I've seen Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic when they were young, but in the last 30 years I haven't seen anyone like Alcaraz. It has it all. Not only does it meet all the requirements, but it has created some more," Macci said.

Arguably the most talented teenager the game has seen since Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz has had a sensational season so far. The Spaniard came into 2022 on the back of winning the Next Gen Finals after beating the likes of Holger Rune and Sebastian Korda. While Alcaraz started the 2022 season with a third-round loss in Australia to Matteo Berrettini, the Spaniard went on to win titles in Rio and Miami, along with a semifinal in Indian Wells.

According to Macci, the Spaniard's game has matured rapidly in the past few months.

"Overall, his game is very mature. It intimidates you because of its speed. The boy was born to achieve great things. Play from the heart. He loves competition. I've never seen this kind of talent, it's the best thing I've seen in the last 25 years," he added.

"You can see a lot of Rafa in him, his mentality" - Rick Macci draws comparison between Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal

Alcaraz in action at Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz has drawn comparisons with Rafael Nadal due to the fact that he hails from Spain, has a similar never-give-up attitude and has enjoyed tremendous success so early in his career. Rick Macci thinks Alcaraz displays the same level of intensity as the 21-time Grand Slam champion.

"You can see a lot of Rafa in him, his mentality. He has the patience, but what I like most is that he is not afraid. I've never seen anyone at 18 go from defense to attack in the blink of an eye. His ability to hit good strokes in the race is amazing. I can see this guy becoming the greatest player of all time," Rick Macci said.

Carlos Alcaraz will next compete at the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters and will face Sebastian Korda in the second round.