"Rafael Nadal is the idol of all our lives, but Carlos Alcaraz will hook the new generations much more" - Alex Corretja

Tennis analyst and former player Alex Corretja believes Carlos Alcaraz will appeal to the younger generation of fans much more than Rafael Nadal. The two-time French Open finalist is also confident the 19-year-old will become World No. 1 because of the self-belief he possesses.

Alcaraz has had an outstanding 2022 season so far, winning 28 of the 31 matches he has contested. The World No. 6 has secured four ATP titles in 2022: the Rio Open, the Miami Open, the Barcelona Open, and the Madrid Open.

The Spaniard became the first player to beat Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the same claycourt event in his Madrid title run. The teenage star defeated both the legendary duo in three sets in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. He thrashed defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-1 in the final.

Following his second straight victory on home soil, Alcaraz withdrew from last week's Italian Open in Rome. He rolled his ankle in his Madrid win over Nadal and decided to rest ahead of the French Open.

In an interview with Europa Press, Corretja spoke about the different impact he feels Alcaraz will have on young audiences compared to his 35-year-old compatriot Nadal.

"It is a modern version of the time we live in. The new generations identify much more with him than with Rafa, who is 35 years old," Corretja said. "Although Nadal is our benchmark, for the new generations he is not so much. Alcaraz is going to hook a new generation that was further away from Rafa due to age."

"Rafa has spoiled us and every important tournament, beyond the other teammates, he is always there," the Spaniard added. "He is the idol of all our lives, but for the new ones, Alcaraz will hook them much more. They see him with that calmer way of being, like the youth of today, and it makes him special, he is very good for tennis and Spanish sport."

The former World No. 2 then discussed the many qualities the 19-year-old has and emphasized the importance of his confidence in himself and his game.

"The first thing is that the raw material is spectacular," Corretja said. "He has some shots that give him the self-confidence to believe that he can hurt his rivals. He has a lot of faith in himself, the variety in his shots has made him someone very uncomfortable for the rivals. And also, his conviction that he can be the best is leading him to be the best."

"I don't know when, but I trust that he will be number one," Corretja continued. "That is due to his way of thinking and that his potential makes him believe that he can be the best and that is what disarms his opponents, he has so many weapons that he has them misplaced. That makes him someone very difficult to beat. It is risky to say that he will be the dominator of the circuit. Although the others have not burst in with such surprising force at 19 years of age, they are still very tough rivals to beat."

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are among the favorites to win the 2022 French Open title

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal shake hands after their match at the 2022 Indian Wells Masters

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz are largely considered to be two of the three favorites to win the 2022 French Open, along with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The 13-time champion will be competing at Roland Garros for the 18th time, while Alcaraz will be making just his second appearance after losing in the third round last year.

Barring any withdrawals, the pair will be seeded fifth and sixth respectively. This would mean that they would not face each other until at least the semifinals. The French Open gets underway on Sunday.