Carlos Alcaraz never faced Roger Federer, but the US Open champion is “enchanted” by the Swiss superstar—and cites him as stylistic inspiration.
The 19-year-old Spaniard often names Rafa Nadal as his tennis hero, but in a new interview with Vogue Magazine, Alcaraz says Federer’s sheer artistry mesmerized him and shaped his aesthetic.
“Rafa is someone I’ve always watched,” Alcaraz told Vogue Magazine. “I admire him a lot. But Federer, the class he had, the way he got people to see tennis: That was beautiful.
“Watching Federer is like looking at a work of art. It’s elegance, he did everything magnificently. I became enchanted by him.”
Prior to his Laver Cup farewell match in London last September, Federer said he was impressed by the Spaniard’s US Open run and believes the future of the sport is “bright” with Alcaraz among young stars at the top of tennis.
“Of course, it’s disappointing I was never able to play against him,” Federer said of Alcaraz. “Of course I watched him closely what he did at the US Open and throughout the year.
“It’s been fantastic, and I always said there will be always new superstars in the game, and he’s one of them. The game is bright.”