Carlos Alcaraz may have only competed in 27 high-level matches on grass, but Pat Cash is already ready to sing his praises, calling him “the best player I have ever seen on grass.”
At just 21 years old, Alcaraz has already clinched two Wimbledon titles, triumphing over the legendary Novak Djokovic in both finals, and he also secured the Queen’s Club Championship last year. With three complete grass-court seasons under his belt, he boasts an impressive 24–3 record on this surface, equating to an 89% win rate—a performance that stacks up well against the greatest grass-court players in history.
For comparison, eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer holds a 192–29 record (86.9%), John McEnroe achieved 121–20 (85.8%), and Djokovic currently stands at 120-20 (85.7%).
Cash, who lifted the Wimbledon trophy in 1987, asserts that Alcaraz deserves to be at the forefront of discussions about the greatest grass-court players. “He hasn’t got a weakness. I almost think he is one of the best… the best player I have ever seen on grass at his best,” he remarked on Sky Sports Tennis.
The Australian further emphasized his point: “Ever seen, and I’m talking about ever seen. He’s a young guy who has taken the best aspects of Rafa and Federer, adapting them to his game. Without these legends, he wouldn’t be where he is, and he acknowledges that. He said, ‘Without Rafa, I wouldn’t be where I am,’ but he has synthesized the best of everything and, at just 21, put it all together. I have never seen anything like that.”
Liam Broady, a British player present with Cash during this bold declaration, shares admiration for Alcaraz but refrains from labeling him the greatest just yet. “I understand what you’re saying. He possesses the sheer power that Rafa had, yet he also carries that lightness and aura reminiscent of Fed,” Broady noted. “He moves like a ballet dancer but can shift with the agility of Rafa.”
Broady elaborated on Alcaraz’s unique abilities: “He combines strength from deep in the court like Rafa on clay, but he can also play aggressively at the net, similar to Roger’s SABR style. He’s one of the few players who can leave you in awe with some of the incredible shots he hits, making you wonder, ‘How did he even do that?’ What’s impressive is that he can pull off these jaw-dropping moments not just once in a tournament, but multiple times in a single match.”
Cash concluded with a forward-looking perspective: “We’ll see how his career unfolds. While he doesn’t yet have the longevity of some legends, he certainly has the makings of an all-time great like Federer, Nadal, or Djokovic, especially with the trajectory he’s on.”