Carlos Alcaraz will have a hard time taking over the mantle from Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, feels Boris Becker

Tennis great Boris Becker believes that former World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz will have a hard time taking over the mantle from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz made a name for himself at the age of 19, winning his first Major at the 2022 US Open. He also became the World No. 1 player by defeating the likes of Djokovic and Nadal over the course of the year.

The Spaniard also won the third Masters 1000 title of his career at Indian Wells in March 2023. However, things took an unwanted turn when he was unable to defend his Miami Open title and thus lost his World No.1 ranking to Djokovic. The teenager has also pulled out of the upcoming Monte-Carlo Masters.

Boris Becker recently stated on CloudFest 2023 that Carlos Alcaraz will have a difficult time taking over the mantle from the big-3. The German legend believes that the big-3 stars are not only tennis heroes but also sporting and cultural icons.

"First of all, it’s a very difficult mantle to take over. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic weren’t only tennis heroes, they are sporting heroes. They are cultural icons," Becker said.

The German great then stated that while Alcaraz is a great tennis player with a complete package, he must do much more than just play the sport.

"You talk about the young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz as the next hot thing. He’s amazing, he plays great, he looks good and has the full package as a tennis superstar. But there’s a lot more to it than playing tennis," Becker said.

"You have to come back, you have to defend your titles, you become a representative of your country and you’re getting into boxes you didn’t think existed before. We have to be careful. Nobody is perfect and we have to watch that these tennis players are people. And people make mistakes."

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Why did Carlos Alcaraz withdraw from the Monte-Carlo Masters 2023?

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2023 Miami Open - Day 8.

Carlos Alcaraz took to Twitter to announce that he will not be competing in the upcoming Monte Carlo Masters. He cited two reasons: post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscular discomfort in his spine.

"After two months abroad, I am happy to return home but sad because I finished my last match in Miami with physical discomfort. After visiting my doctor @drlopezmartinez in Murcia today and being evaluated, I will not be able to go to Monte Carlo to start the clay court tour," Alcaraz wrote.

"I have post-traumatic arthritis in my left hand and muscular discomfort in the spine that needs rest to prepare for everything that is to come. See you in 2024 @ROLEXMCMASTERS!" he added.