Alcaraz thrives on poor/mediocre servers. Fed would hold more easily against him and not give him many break chances. Then get enough returns back, the movement, the slice and the FH would do the business. Even on clay I think Fed would been tough for him but especially grass and hard courts. True it just speculation but my opinion.
I doubt he would. Federer would mix things up a lot against Alcaraz, i.e. sometimes power, sometimes slice. Getting constant high balls to Federer's backhand is hard, but Nadal had the perfect style to do it, from being left-handed to the big topspin.
Not to mention that Federer would be sure to count on UE from Carlos that he wouldn't get from Nadal.
Fortunate that Roddick stumbled early.
sets? lets talk games. 6 games tops. peak nadal served fed a bagel and a breadstick in 2008 final.
Roddick at 2006 Wimbledon? He was out of form by his standards, hadn't gotten to a final in 2006 at that point (two semi finals at San Jose and Queen's Club were his best results), and was beaten in straight sets by a 19-year-old Murray at 2006 Wimbledon. I'd fancy Nadal's chances a lot from the Agassi match onwards to beat that Roddick.
Nadal defeated the best version of Baghdatis on grass that time.
Why couldn't other left-handed tennis players, not named Nadal, do the same against Federer?
Good question: Fed actually had an incredible record vs. lefties not named Nadal. Nadal’s game and what made it so challenging to face not just for Fed et al. was his absurd movement, mental toughness, intensity, super solid bh, tennis IQ, etc. Not all lefties used their leftiness effectively: Jurgen Meltzer, Donald Young, Martin Klizan, etc. These guys lacked the all important cross court FH that Nadal, ofc, had 7 days a week and twice on Sunday. Nadal got the ball up high to Fedrah’s BH pretty easily on the dirt, which allowed Nadal to dictate and bludgeon you. Maybe a poster will post Fed’s record vs. (non-Nadal) lefties…. It’s remarkable.
Which means that Federer's record against left-handers not named Nadal is 115 wins and 12 losses.
Its 132 - 37 vs all lefties and 16-24 vs Nadal.
35+36 year old Nole would have beaten any version of Nadal on grass, let alone 21 year old Nadal. It wouldn't have been close. Nole, unlike Fed, actually matches up well against Nadal and can beat him on any surface (heck he even beat Nadal twice at the FO, unlike Fed who never even came close).
I don't think variety would frustrate Alcaraz, he loves that sh*t and improvised points.
I doubt he would love it from Federer.
Alcaraz would be right at home at that period of time. A geometric specialist.
Your losing your touch. I expect better from you.
How are the comparisons now that Alcaraz is very close to turning 22?
Nadal won Hamburg in 2008, his last tournament before turning 22.
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Nadal won Hamburg in 2008, his last tournament before turning 22.
Can Alcaraz win Madrid 2025 before he turns 22?
Nadal after 2008 Hamburg was at:How are the comparisons now that Alcaraz is very close to turning 22?
Nadal at Alcaraz's current age was in the middle of excellent form, soon to win a 4th and 5th major, another masters at the 2008 Canadian Open, an Olympic singles gold medal, and a 6th major at age 22 years and 8 months.
Even if it does, Nadal was a better player up to this date. He wouldn’t be losing to Rune or on the verge of losing to Fils in straight sets. He legit bagelled Peak Federer
I should have pointed out before that Nadal's 16 tournament wins as a teenager is a joint record with Borg. Nadal winning 11 tournaments in a calendar year (2005) is also a record for a teenager, beating the previous record of 9 by Wilander in 1983.
Berdych beat Nadal in 3 of their first 4 matches. I think Sinner would be easier for that Nadal to beat, because Sinner hits with more topspin than mostly flat hitting Berdych. Blake also hit very flat, who Nadal had trouble with on hardcourt. Youzhny too could flatten it out.
In an anecdote that Coria told when he was at the Paris Olympic Games with Nadal and Alcaraz, the Spanish left-hander told his apprentice: You were lucky not to face him, pointing at the Argentine.
There are several players who are better on hard and grass than Nadal, and Alcaraz is one of them.
Some 29 or so titles for Nadal overall. Carlos will most likely be better outside clay. But let's see how much better.
Coria was a proper clay courter and a very good one at that. He'd be the #1 favourite for this year's RG.In an anecdote that Coria told when he was at the Paris Olympic Games with Nadal and Alcaraz, the Spanish left-hander told his apprentice: You were lucky not to face him, pointing at the Argentine.
He beat him at two Wimbledon finals, which the greatest grass court player couldn't do.
And Nadal at 22 would not be losing to Holger Rune in straight sets or on the verge of losing to Fils in straights.
Carlos is not dominant, he's prone to getting outplayed by too many players. Nadal had far tougher competition. Credit to Carlos for his achievements so far, but don't think any comparisons to Nadal are valid.
Take a look at the players' age across these Wimbledon finals and you'll have your answers.
