Carlos Alcaraz might just be on track to carve out a legacy that echoes — or even rivals — the towering records set by legends like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. That’s the bold outlook shared by 2013 Wimbledon winner Marion Bartoli, who believes the young Spaniard has the tools and temperament to match tennis royalty.
Now ranked world No. 2, Alcaraz is gearing up for the business end of his French Open title defense. The reigning Roland Garros champion lifted the trophy for the first time in 2024, adding yet another chapter to his astonishing rise. And with four Grand Slam titles already under his belt, he’s beginning to redefine the expectations placed on players of his generation.
It all started with his breakthrough at the 2022 US Open, where a 19-year-old Alcaraz burst onto the scene with the kind of poise and punch that fans usually associate with seasoned champions. Since then, he’s added consecutive Wimbledon titles (2023 and 2024) to his collection, completing the prestigious ‘Channel Slam’ in the same year he triumphed in Paris — a feat no one so young had ever pulled off.
That dual-surface dominance wasn’t just about racking up silverware; it confirmed Alcaraz as the youngest male player to achieve that rare double since the Open Era began. His US Open win also earned him the title of the youngest ATP singles world No. 1 in history, adding another record to his swelling résumé.
With such a rapid and decorated rise, the tennis world is naturally abuzz with speculation — could Alcaraz go the distance and rewrite the records etched by Nadal and Djokovic?
To date, Djokovic sits atop the men’s Grand Slam leaderboard with 24 major titles and is still very much in pursuit of a historic 25th. Nadal, now retired, owns the unprecedented achievement of 14 Roland Garros titles — a reign of clay unmatched in tennis history.
Despite the awe such milestones inspire, Bartoli believes they may not be untouchable forever. Speaking to Prime Video in France, the former world No. 7 put her weight behind Alcaraz as a potential challenger to both men’s legacies.
“He has won so much, so young, that we have to compare him to Nadal, and say that if there is one who is perhaps capable of going after Djokovic’s monumental Grand Slam record, it is Alcaraz,” she said.
Bartoli emphasized that Alcaraz’s maturity and mindset set him apart — not just his talent. According to her, he’s learned to deflect the immense pressure that comes with comparisons and expectations.
“I think that humanly, it is so difficult to bear in terms of pressure, that he said to himself: ‘leave me alone, I want to play tennis, the records, we will see later, I want to enjoy my victories, celebrate my titles, enjoy myself with my friends and leave me alone, it’s my life,’” Bartoli noted.
Yet, in brushing off the weight of history, Alcaraz has continued to create it. “That did not prevent him from doing the Roland-Garros Wimbledon double in 2024. And he is by far the favourite here,” she added, singling him out as the frontrunner this year.
Heading into the third round at Roland Garros, Alcaraz was put through the wringer by veteran Damir Dzumhur in a four-set battle that tested both his grit and fitness. The Spaniard breezed through the first two sets but was pushed into deeper waters as Dzumhur mounted a stern comeback. Ultimately, Alcaraz prevailed 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, digging deep to keep his momentum alive.
That win extended his French Open winning streak to 10 matches, a run that began with last year’s title-winning campaign. Add to that his recent triumph in Rome, and the 22-year-old is now riding a nine-match unbeaten streak in 2025.
Looking ahead, a more formidable test looms in the fourth round, where Alcaraz will go head-to-head with 13th seed Ben Shelton. The American southpaw booked his place with a commanding straight-sets victory over qualifier Matteo Gigante and will look to shake things up when they clash on the red dirt.
Though this will be their first Grand Slam encounter, Alcaraz has already had the measure of Shelton twice — once at the 2023 Canadian Open and again at the 2024 Laver Cup. Both times, the Spaniard walked away the victor.
Whether or not Alcaraz can climb the Everest of Djokovic’s 24 majors or topple Nadal’s clay-court crown, one thing is certain — he’s not just playing in the present; he’s shaping the future of the sport. And with the eyes of the tennis world firmly on him, the next chapter of his story at Roland Garros is about to be written.