Maria Sharapova: "Carlos Alcaraz is incredible, I can't wait to see him grow"

Maria Sharapova has expressed excitement at Carlos Alcaraz's rise and is looking forward to seeing him grow as a player.

Alcaraz first made meaningful strides in 2021. He began the year just inside the top 150 and ended as the World No. 32, with his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the US Open being the highlight.

The Spaniard, however, made himself a household name with his performances on the tour in 2022. Having begun the year ranked outside the top 30, he established himself in style, winning five titles — one Grand Slam, two Masters 1000s, and two ATP 500s.

With his 2022 US Open win, Alcaraz rose to the top of the ATP rankings, becoming the youngest man in history to be ranked World No 1. In 2023, he has won four titles already (Madrid, Barcelona, Indian Wells, and Buenos Aires) and is all set to compete in his second Major semifinal — at the 2023 French Open.

Former World No. 1 Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, has stated that Alcaraz 'fascinated' her with his fighting spirit.

“Carlos [Alcaraz] it's incredible. What fascinates me most about him is his fighting spirit on every point. He manages to put on a show and ignite the crowd every time he sets foot on the field. I can't wait to see him grow, I'm really curious to see where he can go and what he can do,” she told Gazzetta dello Sport (via ubitennis).

While the Russian understands why Alcaraz has been compared with his compatriot Rafael Nadal, she believes that the 20-year-old will become a unique player in his own right in the future.

“I think in the beginning, the comparisons to Rafa [Nadal] were inevitable but he's developing a style and a personality of his own that will make him a one-of-a-kind player,” she added.

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Carlos Alcaraz to take on Novak Djokovic in French Open SF with World No. 1 ranking on the line

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz face off in the 2023 French Open semifinals.

Carlos Alcaraz is currently taking part in the 2023 French Open, where he has made it through to the semifinals. Up next for the youngster is a mouth-watering last-four clash with Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz and Djokovic have met only once on the tour before, in the semifinals of the Madrid Masters last year, where the 20-year-old defeated the Serbian 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-6(5) en route to the title.

While fans and pundits have since been eager to see them face each other again, it has taken a little more than a year for a rematch. In Paris, Alcaraz is chasing his second career Grand Slam title while Djokovic has his eyes on a record 23rd Major.

When the two face off on Friday, June 9, they will be fighting not just for a spot in the Roland Garros final but also for the World No. 1 ranking. If Alcaraz defeats Djokovic, he will continue to remain on top of the ATP rankings. If he fails to make it to the final, the Serbian can replace him as the No. 1 by winning the Paris Major on Sunday, June 11.