"Watching him live just puts everything into perspective" -  Carlos Alcaraz leaves NFL star Chad Johnson awestruck

NFL star Chad Johnson was recently taken aback by World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz's tennis skills during the ongoing 2023 Miami Open.

Alcaraz is having a great time at the Miami Open coming on the back of a Masters 1000 title win at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He defeated Facundo Bagnis, Dusan Lajovic and American Tommy Paul en route to the quarterfinals and is yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Chad Johnson, a six-time NFL Pro Bowler, met with Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard's fourth-round win over Paul on Tuesday (March 28) and later spoke with ATPTour.com about what he thinks of him.

Even though Johnson had heard about how talented a tennis player Alcaraz was, the wide receiver said that seeing the youngster play in person helped him "put everything into perspective."

"I’ve been asking, Chris already told me about him. Tommy Paul told me about him earlier when I met him at the beginning of last week how good he was. But watching him live just puts everything into perspective that they were saying, so now I get it," Johnson said.

"I didn’t get it because you guys are pros, you guys are elite at the top level and to hear them speak about him in such a manner that I had no clue about until I was able to see the evidence out there today," he added.

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Carlos Alcaraz will lock horns with Taylor Fritz in Miami quarterfinals

Carlos Alcaraz pictured at the 2023 Miami Open - Day 10.

Carlos Alcaraz, the defending Miami Open champion, will face another American in the last eight when he takes on Taylor Fritz. The two players have never met on tour before, so this will be their first meeting.

In his on-court interview following his fourth-round win over Tommy Paul, Alcaraz stated that he was pleased with his performance thus far in the tournament and hoped to replicate it in his quarterfinal match against Fritz.

"I played a really great match [against Paul] and I hope to play the same level in the quarter-final. I moved well and defended well and I counter-attacked and I think if I play at that same level, I will have a lot of chances to get through," Carlos Alcaraz said.

The 19-year-old is aiming to become the youngest player to win the Sunshine Double. If he can defeat Fritz and then go all the way, he will retain his No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings. However, if he falters, Novak Djokovic will reclaim the position.