No, Carlos Alcaraz is not the most talented 21-year-old in tennis history when Monica Seles, Rafael Nadal, Martina Hingis exist

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has reaffirmed his status as the greatest youngster in tennis by winning the Wimbledon title, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(4) in the final last Sunday, July 14. It was the way the 21-year-old Spaniard dismantled the 24-time Grand Slam champion that made the world applaud.

Any recency bias should not make us forget the exploits of past champions at a similar age. Boris Becker won a couple of Wimbledon titles as a teenager, Martina Hingis became the World No. 1 at the age of 16, and Monica Seles overcame a player as great as Steffi Graf repeatedly as a teenager. Graf herself won the Golden Slam as a teenager.
Then there is Rafael Nadal, who had won three French Open titles and reached a Wimbledon final as a 21-year-old and also won the Channel Slam at 22.Make no mistake about it – Alcaraz’s achievements at his age are staggering. But there have been a number of players before him who have achieved similar feats.
The quality of opponents is also vital
With due respect to others, Alcaraz has only got Djokovic and Jannik Sinner as worthy rivals, with the former already past 35 by the time Alcaraz burst onto the scene with his US Open triumph in 2022. Sinner is still not very comfortable playing outside hard courts.

On the other hand, someone like Boris Becker, for instance, won five Grand Slam titles before he turned 22 after having to contend with the likes of John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg – all at their prime.Nadal too had to deal with a prime Federer at the start of his career and Seles had to deal with Graf, who in fact won nine Grand Slam titles before turning 21, more than twice Alcaraz’s tally. Hingis had won five Grand Slam titles before she reached the age of 19.Alcaraz is a generational talent and will win many more Grand Slam titles if he is able to stay fit. However, that should not blind one as regards the achievements of other past greats. Yes, what the Spaniard has done is exceptional, but he is surely not as decorated as say, Graf or Hingis at the same age.
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Then there is Rafael Nadal, who had won three French Open titles and reached a Wimbledon final as a 21-year-old and also won the Channel Slam at 22.Make no mistake about it – Alcaraz’s achievements at his age are staggering. But there have been a number of players before him who have achieved similar feats.
The quality of opponents is also vital
With due respect to others, Alcaraz has only got Djokovic and Jannik Sinner as worthy rivals, with the former already past 35 by the time Alcaraz burst onto the scene with his US Open triumph in 2022. Sinner is still not very comfortable playing outside hard courts.

On the other hand, someone like Boris Becker, for instance, won five Grand Slam titles before he turned 22 after having to contend with the likes of John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg – all at their prime.Nadal too had to deal with a prime Federer at the start of his career and Seles had to deal with Graf, who in fact won nine Grand Slam titles before turning 21, more than twice Alcaraz’s tally. Hingis had won five Grand Slam titles before she reached the age of 19.Alcaraz is a generational talent and will win many more Grand Slam titles if he is able to stay fit. However, that should not blind one as regards the achievements of other past greats. Yes, what the Spaniard has done is exceptional, but he is surely not as decorated as say, Graf or Hingis at the same age.