Carlos Alcaraz: "If Martina Navratilova tells me to go up to the net, I do it; she has won nine times here at Wimbledon"

Carlos Alcaraz has stated that he will blindly follow Martina Navratilova's advice on how to play on grasscourts as the former World No. 1 is a nine-time Wimbledon champion.

Alcaraz and Navratilova recently interacted on the sidelines of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where the former asked the 66-year-old for advice on how to emerge victorious at SW19.

In reply, Navratilova asked the young Spaniard to use the slice shot a little more as he is good at hitting them and because players do not like facing them on grass.

“Give me some advice to win Wimbledon. I think you have a lot of advices to give me,” Alcaraz asked, speaking on Tennis Channel.

“Well, I don't think you need much because you're doing so amazingly well, hitting so many winners from the baseline. But I’d say use the slice more because the ball stays low, nobody really likes to see a slice coming at them and you hit it really well,” Navratilova replied.

“I’ll do it. I do it for sure,” he declared.

Later, Navratilova also asked Alcaraz to come to the net more often than he is currently doing.

“And come to the net more, not because you need to but it is so nice to see you there,” she said.

When asked about the 18-time Grand Slam winner's advice on getting to the net more often on grasscourts, Alcaraz stated that he would follow her advice without a second thought because of her Wimbledon pedigree.

“We try to learn from the best and if Navratilova tells me to go up to the net, I do it out of the blue. She has won nine times here,” he told MARCA.

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Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexandre Muller, sails through to Wimbledon 3R

Carlos Alcaraz in action at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

Carlos Alcaraz locked horns with Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the second round at Wimbledon 2023 on Friday, July 7.

The ATP World No. 1 was in control the whole match, with the only time he came under pressure was the tie break in the second set. In the end, he emerged victorious 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-3 on Centre Court in two hours and 34 minutes.

With the win, Alcaraz has reached the third round at Wimbledon for only the second time in his career. He will next take on Nicolas Jarry, who defeated Jason Kubler 7-5, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in his second-round contest.

If the 20-year-old manages to clinch the title this fortnight, he will become the third-youngest player to win the Wimbledon men’s singles title in the Open Era. Additionally, it will also see him retain the World No. 1 ranking.