Rafael Nadal described Carlos Alcaraz as an already established legend of world tennis. The 22-time Grand Slam champion made his comments during a charity golf event in Mallorca related to the causes of his foundation.
“He is not a promising player. He has seven Grand Slam titles, so he is definitely not just a promise for the future. He is already a legend“, said Nadal.
The Spaniard added that the definition “promising“ no longer corresponds to what Alcaraz has achieved. According to him, among the great tennis players of history, there are few who have won seven titles from the most prestigious tournaments.
Seven titles and a career Grand Slam
Alcaraz reached his seventh Grand Slam trophy in February 2026, when he defeated Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open. The success in Melbourne also brought him a career Grand Slam - having won at least four major tournaments.
The Spaniard has two titles each from Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, as well as one from the Australian Open. He became the youngest man in the history of the sport to complete a career Grand Slam, at 22 years and 272 days.
His journey to the seven trophies began with the US Open in 2022. Alcaraz then won Wimbledon in 2023 and 2024, Roland Garros in 2024 and 2025, the US Open in 2025 and the Australian Open in 2026.
A symbolic partnership for Spanish tennis
The bond between Nadal and Alcaraz was most clearly expressed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The two represented Spain in doubles and reached the quarterfinals, where they lost to Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajiv Ram 2:6, 4:6.
For Alcaraz, Nadal is among the greatest inspirations in tennis. Nadal himself, who ended his professional career at the end of 2024, continues to follow his compatriot's development and publicly defends his place among the great names of the sport.
After winning the Australian Open, Alcaraz did not add another Grand Slam title in 2026, but he remained with seven major trophies and a complete set of the four most important tournaments.