At just 22, Carlos Alcaraz has carved his place in history as the second-youngest man to win six Grand Slam singles titles, trailing only his former Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg. Arriving in San Francisco for the Laver Cup, the Spaniard is riding high after back-to-back triumphs at Cincinnati and the US Open, both won against rival Jannik Sinner, reclaiming the No.1 ranking for the first time in two years. Now, as he gears up to join the star-studded Team Europe lineup, American legend Andre Agassi hails him, boldly comparing the young phenom to the sport’s legendary “Big 3.”

Carlos Alcaraz’s rise has been nothing short of breathtaking, and as the Laver Cup draws near, his presence looms as large as ever. The Spaniard made his debut last year in Berlin and wasted no time in leaving his mark. He led Team Europe with eight points, including the clincher, a commanding 6-2, 7-5 victory over Team World’s Taylor Fritz that sealed the title. This year, as the event heads to the City by the Bay, Team World captain Andre Agassi knows just how dangerous Alcaraz can be.

Agassi’s words about the young phenom carry the weight of a champion who knows greatness when he sees it. “We’ve come off a generation with Novak, Roger and Rafa, and if you take the best of what each of them do, it’s like it’s turned into one person,” Agassi said. The American legend went even deeper with his praise, breaking down the unique blend of weapons Alcaraz brings to the table.

“He can defend like Novak. He has soft hands and feet like Federer, and he can generate RPMs and pace like Rafa. And you’ve got the speed — offensively and defensively. You’ve got the passion that keeps him fired up the whole time. He kind of has the whole package. The thing you have to hope for is that he gets too creative out there. You hope he crosses that line every now and then to give you some hope.”

Agassi’s comparison feels fitting when you consider how Alcaraz grew up idolizing the Big 3. He has been open about how Rafael Nadal inspired him as a child. “Rafa was my idol since I was a little kid, the way he approached the game. And obviously, Roger, the way he played, the style, the elegance he had on the court. He was somebody I looked up to, too,” Alcaraz once said. The result is a player who blends the best of 3 eras into one unstoppable force.

Since bursting onto the ATP Tour as a 16-year-old, Alcaraz has been celebrated for his dazzling variety and ability to mix it up. He can carve out wicked slices, follow them up with thundering forehands, and drop in delicate touch shots that leave opponents flat-footed. What truly separates him, though, is his ability to deliver this all-court brilliance on every surface, an ability that has already placed him in an exclusive club.

Alcaraz now boasts two Grand Slam titles on each surface, hard, clay, and grass, a feat achieved at his age only by Rafael Nadal and Mats Wilander, with Novak Djokovic accomplishing it much later. The speed of his success is almost unprecedented. He has needed just 19 tournaments to collect six majors, second only to Bjorn Borg’s record of 18 set back in 1978.

Only Borg has won six majors at a younger age, claiming three at Roland Garros and three at Wimbledon. Nadal matched Alcaraz’s total at 22 but did so a few months later in his own career, while Pete Sampras had five at this age and Mats Wilander just four. Federer and Djokovic were barely getting started. Roger had three majors at 22, Djokovic only one, which puts Alcaraz far ahead of their pace.

The numbers from his 2025 season add even more weight to his claim to greatness. He has equaled Nadal’s record for most Grand Slam titles in a calendar year by a player aged 22 or younger and sits second only to Borg for match-win percentage at the majors at this age. His US Open final against Jannik Sinner was a masterclass; he fired 10 aces, raised his average serve speed from 113 mph in the early rounds to 120 mph in the final, and blasted the fastest serve of the tournament at 134 mph.

Throughout the event, Alcaraz won a staggering 84% of his first-serve points and 63% of his second-serve points, both leading the entire tournament. His ability to raise his level with every round shows that he is already mentally built for dominance. That’s why Agassi’s comparisons resonate so deeply: Alcaraz isn’t just the future of tennis, he is the present, and he is setting a blistering pace that few in history have matched.

Still, not everyone is quick to put him alongside the Big 3. Rafael Nadal, the man Alcaraz idolized, has been measured in his words when asked about these comparisons. The 22-time Grand Slam champion has suggested that Alcaraz should be allowed to carve his own path without constant parallels. 

Rafael Nadal responds to Carlos Alcaraz’s Big 3 comparisons

It felt as though this moment would never arrive. For years, the Big 3: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, seemed untouchable, almost immortal, ruling tennis with an iron grip and captivating fans worldwide. Their dominance crushed generations of hopeful challengers and created a golden era unlike anything the sport had ever seen.

But time, as always, has its say. With Novak Djokovic now struggling to capture another Grand Slam and his chances of adding to his legendary tally fading, it’s becoming clear that the reign of the Big 3 is nearing its conclusion.

And now, as the spotlight shifts, the tennis world is busy comparing the next generation of stars, especially Carlos Alcaraz, to the trio that defined the last two decades. Yet Rafael Nadal has a message for those eager to draw comparisons.

Speaking at a charity golf event in Majorca, the 22-time Grand Slam champion said, “Federer, Djokovic and I were who we were, and that’s all. Everyone has to live their own story; every story is different, and there’s no point in constantly comparing yourself to others.”

Nadal went further, reflecting on their historic achievements. “What we experienced was a period in which three players slightly altered the numbers that had existed until then.” He acknowledged Federer’s advice to Alcaraz about planning in five-year increments but offered a different perspective.

Nadal stressed the importance of focusing on the now. “Five years is a lot, and even more so in tennis, where at any moment things can change drastically.”

Meanwhile, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are building a rivalry that feels like the spiritual successor to Federer-Nadal-Djokovic, drawing fans into their battles. Whether they can recreate the iconic Big 3 era remains a question, but perhaps, as Nadal reminds us, their story deserves to stand on its own.