"Carlos Alcaraz is not the best yet, he must not believe his own hype now" - Boris Becker

Having taken the tennis world by storm as a 17-year-old Wimbledon champion, Boris Becker will have a fair idea of what Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz is going through right now.

Few expected the unseeded Becker to beat Kevin Curren in the 1985 final on Center Court. The victory catapulted the German teenager to instant fame.

Becker feels that given Alcaraz's performances this year, the youngster is second only to countryman Rafael Nadal. But he warned that the rigors of the claycourt season might prove detrimental to the 18-year-old's cause.

"He (Alcaraz) must not believe his own hype now," Boris Becker cautioned in an interview with Eurosport. "He's not the best yet. He is the high-flyer of the scene. The way he played this year, there was only one player who was better and he is also from Spain. But the clay court season is exhausting, the matches are longer."

Alcaraz is already being spoken of as the next Rafael Nadal - although the 18-year-old has yet to win a Grand Slam title. The Spaniard's second-round loss to Sebastian Korda in the Monte-Carlo Masters after having triumphed in Rio and Miami is now the subject of much deliberation.

Becker said that Alcaraz would have to "take a break" prior to Roland Garros in order to minimize the risk of injury.

"I hope he doesn't play Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and also Rome, because then it's too much for my taste," Becker said.

"He has to take a break because he's only human and he's also tired sometimes. When you continue to play tired, the first injuries occur."

The German stressed the importance of weighing the benefits and risks in tournaments leading up to the French Major.

"It is very important to find the fine line between what is good in tournaments and matches and what is too much?" he added.

Carlos Alcaraz is the 3rd favorite to win Roland Garros, behind Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz at the 2022 Miami Masters

Carlos Alcaraz's rise has been nothing short of sensational. The Spanish teen has won two titles this season in Rio and Miami. He became the youngest men's winner at the Miami Open and the third youngest to ever win a Masters 1000 title, behind Michael Chang and Rafael Nadal. He is currently ranked No. 11 in the world.

Oddsmakers have taken note of Alcaraz's exploits recently by appointing him as the third favorite to win the French Open this year, behind Novak Djokovic and Nadal. According to online gambling company bet365, the Spaniard has 4/1 odds of winning his maiden Grand Slam title on the clay of Paris.

Carlos Alacaraz will next compete at the Barcelona Open from 18-24 April. The 18-year-old is the No. 5 seed at the tournament and will face either Kwon Soon-woo or Benoit Paire in the second round.

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