One year after retirement, Roger Federer is still making his presence felt on the ATP circuit. The Swiss is honored wherever he goes and the latest tournament to commemorate his career was the Shanghai Masters 1000.
The Basel-based former player took the opportunity to stop by the ATP Podcast and talked about Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal and the ‘Big Three’.
On Alcaraz, who has a picture of the 20-time Grand Slam champion hanging in his room, he urged people not to rush him.
“He’s still young and everything he’s achieved is fantastic. Not only on clay, but also on hard court and beating Djokovic at Wimbledon is no joke,” Federer told the ATP Podcast.
Although he says that the Spaniard did not need that victory to prove his worth.
“It’s another big plus on his CV.”
The best of the ‘Big Three’
Like so many others, Federer extracted aspects of the game of the ‘Big Three’ that are reflected in the tennis player from El Palmar.
“I see power on the forehand, a bit like Rafa, although perhaps the technique is more mine”, commented the Swiss.
“Look at his drop shot, that is due to the fact that he can play from behind like Rafa.”
“His defensive skills, these rival those of Novak, but Novak is obviously at another level because when you do it for so many years, you’re alone, like Rafa on clay. That defense is second to none, but if Carlos continues to do that, we’ll talk about him even more. He has the potential for that.”
As Alcaraz once said, Federer does not like “when there are too many comparisons” because “maybe there is a combination, but it’s also not fair to say that because Carlos is Carlos, like Novak is Novak and Rafa is Rafa”.
At the Shanghai Masters 1000 only one top 10 player reached the quarter-finals and Federer points out that “we all hope that every generation produces the best tennis every week, but it’s difficult to achieve that”.
In fact, some point the finger at Alcaraz for not lifting a title since Wimbledon.
“I think Carlos has done as well as he can so far. He’s going to lose from time to time, but he’s got an incredible game and an incredible future,” said the 20-time major champion.
Federer and Nadal
The good relationship between Federer and Nadal is well known, but the Basel player has confessed that he does not miss the head-to-head battles with the Spaniard.
“I’m happy that I don’t have to play one of those difficult matches on center court against one of the big guys. I’ve had so many moments like this that I’m glad I don’t have any more,” he concluded.