Rafael Nadal has praised Carlos Alcaraz as a full-fledged legend of the sport following the 22-year-old's triumph at the 2026 Australian Open. Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to complete his Career Grand Slam, becoming the youngest man in the Open Era to achieve the feat. Nadal, speaking at charity events, rejected labels of Alcaraz as a rising star given his seven Grand Slam titles.
Carlos Alcaraz secured his seventh Grand Slam title by beating Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 in the men's singles final of the 2026 Australian Open. The victory marked Alcaraz as the sixth man in the Open Era to win all four majors, tying him with Mats Wilander and John McEnroe in the all-time list. At 22 years old, he surpassed Rafael Nadal's own Open Era record from 2010 as the youngest to complete the Career Grand Slam. Nadal, who attended the final in Melbourne and congratulated Alcaraz in person, later addressed the achievement during appearances at charity golf tournaments in Madrid and Mallorca on February 10 and 11, 2026.
When asked if Alcaraz was the rising star of Spanish tennis, Nadal was unequivocal. "No, no, he’s not a rising star at all. He has seven Grand Slam titles, and he’s not a rising star in the slightest. He’s already a legend of our sport," Nadal said. "If you look at the great players, there aren’t many who have seven Grand Slam titles like him." He emphasized Alcaraz's impact, stating, "Having Carlos is a blessing, because he is a great player who represents us all over the world, and on top of that, he is taking tennis to an incredible level. I think we can only enjoy and appreciate it."
Nadal also reflected on Djokovic's performance in the final, where the 38-year-old sought a record 25th major. "Djokovic has left an impressive career behind him, and he is still there because he still can be," Nadal noted. "He had an opportunity in Melbourne. Honestly, I don’t think he has that many left because of his age, but what he is achieving is admirable." Nadal avoided framing the match as a generational shift, instead expressing gratitude for both players' contributions. "We should be happy to have Djokovic, who is still up there, and to have Alcaraz, who is taking tennis to an incredible level."
Addressing recent debates, including coach Patrick Mouratoglou's comparisons of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to the Big Three, Nadal clarified his laughing emoji response on social media. "The analysis is incorrect," he said, using a football analogy: "It’s as if you analyse today’s Messi with the Messi who played in Barca or the Cristiano Ronaldo who plays today with the one he played in Real Madrid." He stressed respect for all eras, adding that careers define greatness and all players are ambassadors for tennis.
Alcaraz, currently world No. 1 with 25 ATP titles including eight Masters, has withdrawn from the Rotterdam Open but is scheduled for the Qatar Open next week. Nadal, retired since late 2024, expressed contentment with his post-career life, enjoying golf and watching the sport evolve.
