Feliciano López: “I’ve never seen anyone play like Alcaraz at his age”

Former tennis player and director of the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, Feliciano López, confessed this Wednesday that he has “never” seen “anyone play like Carlos Alcaraz at his age”, which is why he sees him capable of surpassing” the ‘Grand Slams’ of Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic, while predicting a “full” pavilion at the Fuente de San Luis for Spain’s debut in the group stage. “I don’t know if there will be another Nadal, I honestly don’t think so. But Carlos (Alcaraz) is having an unusual career for his age. Comparing him to Rafa, Federer or Djokovic… Right now it’s very likely (that he’ll surpass them), because he’s 22 and the others, one has already finished and the other two have a bit left,” said Feliciano López at a meeting with the media in Valencia organised by Lexus, the official vehicle of the Davis Cup for the fifth consecutive year. For the former player, Alcaraz is under “great” pressure, although “if he continues playing the way he is playing” he could be on a par with Nadal’s 22 ‘grand slams’ or Djokovic’s 24. “The thing is that Federer, Djokovic and Nadal have continued winning almost at 40 years old. He has 18 years left to continue winning. But can he do it? Yes,” he defended. “In my life I have seen anyone who plays like that at his age. In the end, in the history of tennis, until those three came along, no one had gone past 14 ‘Grand Slams’. When I started, Sampras was 14 and it seemed like no one was going to get there. And three of them have been through a lot,” he reflected. However, he criticised the expectations that are always generated around the Murcian. “What happened in New York – he fell in the second round – is nothing unusual. Many people take things for granted that are not normal. A 22-year-old boy… If he has already won two ‘majors’ this year and they are demanding that he also wins the tournament in New York…”, he said. “Apart from the calendar itself, which is already demanding for everyone, Alcaraz has extra pressure, every day he plays he has the obligation to win, and that in the end is very difficult, but he is prepared for it and he handles it in a very good way,” he praised the mental strength of the player from El Palmar. “The head is what really makes the difference, that is why those who are at the top, like Carlos, are mentally very good, they not only withstand the pressure, but they are also braver,” he stressed. Because in tennis “the most difficult thing” is “dealing with the pressure, dealing with having to solve all the problems alone on the court.” “There are people who are physically prepared, and then the difference between tennis players is who can withstand their own pressure,” he analyzed. As director of the Davis Cup Finals, Feliciano López was “very happy” with last year’s edition, despite Spain He did not qualify for Malaga, something he hopes to achieve in 2024 with Carlos Alcaraz as the leader of the Spanish team. “The arena is going to be packed,” he predicted for this afternoon. “Yesterday there was half an entrance, more or less, it was also Tuesday, and I think that from today until Sunday, I think it will be almost full all day. I think it will be much more full. People like tennis in Valencia. And, apart from that, the fact of being able to see Carlos is an incentive,” he celebrated. Although Spain’s group is “tough” with Australia, Czech Republic and France as rivals. “It is a very even group, it will be decided in the doubles I think, because the matches are very open and there are many very good players. But well, having Carlos, I think Spain will qualify, but we will have to fight,” he said. And he took the opportunity to highlight the support of Lexus as a partner and sponsor. “We are delighted. Lexus has been in tennis for many years. It is a brand that fits well into the world of tennis. And in this case, for us in Valencia, having a brand like Lexus is a luxury, because it is not just the image, but everything that is done around the tournament with them, which also helps. And then the integration that is created, I think that is also quite useful,” he praised. Finally, Feliciano López compared the situation of tennis in Spain with European countries and the United States, and asked for more resources. “I think that now there is a lot of investment and a lot of work needed to compete with the United States and these countries. In Barcelona 92 ​​we had a very big boost, but I have the feeling that since then not as much has been done, despite the fact that in sport we have done very well, but it is one in a thousand,” he lamented.