Carlos Alcaraz is the only one in Next Gen to have the desire: Jimmy Connors on watching Spaniard for the first time

Among all the Next Gen players, Carlos Alcaraz seems to be the only one who has left a mark on legendary tennis player Jimmy Connors when it comes to passion.

The 19-year-old began his 2022 season as the 32nd-ranked player and finished the year as World No. 1, having won a Grand Slam title and two Masters 1000 tournaments. He recently added another big trophy to his cabinet by winning the 2023 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Speaking on the Advantage Connors podcast recently, Connors expressed his feelings about watching Alcaraz for the first time. The American lauded the Spaniard for his hunger to win every time he stepped foot on the court.

"The one thing that really stood out for me, he's young — 19-20 years old. He has the desire," Connors said. "You can tell. The way he goes about his business, he already seems to be playing at a very mature level for a 19 or 20-year-old kid."

The 70-year-old icon also praised Alcaraz for his title run in Indian Wells last week, where he didn't lose a single set and beat players like Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

"He seems to have that desire to be the best, which he is right now, he's gone to No. 1 in the world, and rightfully so," he said. "You go out and play a tournament that was in the desert and you come out winning, without losing a set and beating the players that he has beaten. He deserves it."

Finally, Connors remarked that none of the Next Gen players had Carlos Alcaraz's desire to win and that the youngster would be unstoppable if he stayed fit.

"He's got the attitude and if he stays healthy and keeps that desire, he's going to be hard to stop. In the last couple of years, I've watched a lot of these young guys coming up. No one has stood out in the desire department and the willingness to give everything every time you go out there like he has," he concluded.

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Carlos Alcaraz begins Miami Open 2023 campaign with a dominant win

Carlos Alcaraz during the 2023 Miami Open

Carlos Alcaraz began his title defense at the 2023 Miami Open by outplaying Argentina's Facundo Bagnis 6-0, 6-2 in the second round on Friday. The Spaniard has now won 15 of his 16 matches this season, with his sole loss coming in the final of the Rio Open against Cameron Norrie.

After winning the 2023 Indian Wells Masters, he replaced Novak Djokovic as the top-ranked player but will have to triumph in Miami to remain No. 1. If he were to succeed in the ongoing event, the 19-year-old would become the youngest man to complete the Sunshine Double — winning Indian Wells and the Miami Open in the same year.

Next, Alcaraz will face 76th-ranked Dusan Lajovic of Serbia in the third round in Miami.