India's tennis legend Leander Paes revealed Carlos Alcaraz as the most exciting player in the last ten years and said that the Spaniard has redefined the game with his speed. The world no.2 further made his mark in tennis by winning the Wimbledon 2023 and reaching the semi-final in two more Grand Slam tournaments this year.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz broke Novak Djokovic's historic run at the top of the ATP rankings and is tipped to replicate the Serbian's success in the future. Djokovic dominated the men's singles events for more than the last two decades along with legendary Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal but is facing tough competition from Carlos at the top in the last few months.
Alcaraz has already bagged two Grand Slams to his name and has shown a lot of potential to become one of the best ever in men's tennis. Paes, India's best-ever Tennis player with 18 Grand Slam trophies in men's and mixed doubles, is impressed with Alacaraz's rapid rise in Tennis. He highlighted the youngster's speed and technical skills and added that the Spaniard has redefined the game of Tennis.
"You look at the two top ones, Iga Swiatek and Alcaraz," Leadnder was quoted saying by PTI. "I think Alcaraz is probably the most exciting new player in the last decade. Alcaraz has redefined the game of tennis with his speed. His technical knowledge of mathematics, his offensive game with a chop forehand or a drop shot — we were taught that the drop shot is a stupid shot, a 'chaalaki shot'. My coach used to rap me on the knuckles if I played drop shot."
Paes also shared his thoughts on Indian tennis players' performance in the ongoing Asian Games 2023. India claimed Silver in the men's doubles event on Friday and Rohan Bopanna and Rutuja Bhosale entered the mixed doubles final. But Indian tennis players struggled to make a mark in the singles events in Asiad 2023.
"I was really surprised that Rohan and Yuki lost in that early round — did not expect that. But also really happy to see Ankita Raina win that first one. She was really unlucky in the last match that she lost; she was up two love in the first set but lost in the final set," Paes added.
