Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has made it clear that his career will not be measured against Novak Djokovic’s historic haul of 24 Grand Slam titles.
After arriving in Tokyo for the Japan Open, Alcaraz stated that Djokovic’s record is not on his mind for now, as the future remains uncertain.
The 22-year-old Spaniard emphasized that his focus is solely on improving his own game rather than being consumed by comparisons with Djokovic’s record-breaking achievements.
“I am often asked what my goal is as a tennis player, and I always say that I would like to sit at the same table as the great legends of the sport. But it is not something I am thinking about at the moment. I know I have achieved important things so far, but I do not take anything for granted, and no one can predict what will happen from now on. I am not thinking about Djokovic’s 24 Grand Slams or anything like that.”
“I’ve been playing great tennis, great matches. I feel I’ve grown a lot as a player on court. I know the history of this tournament and the champions who have won it before. At the end of the week, I just want to put my name next to those past champions,” Alcaraz added.
Alcaraz, who has already captured multiple major titles and reached the world No. 1 ranking in his meteoric rise, has often been hailed as the natural successor to the “Big Three” era of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. But the young star insists he doesn’t want his career defined by constant comparisons.
“Of course, Novak is an inspiration. What he has achieved is incredible, and he will always be a legend of the sport,” he said. “But I don’t want to play under the pressure of having to reach 24 or 25. I just want to enjoy my time on the court and see how far I can go.”
