19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz is going into the 2023 French Open as one of the favorites. Alcaraz is still very young. However, despite his age, many renowned names in the tennis world believe that he has everything in his locker to become a legend. One of the greatest players to step on the court, Roger Federer, once said, “I always said there would be more superstars. He’s one of them”. Now, the iconic tennis coach, Allan van Nostrand, has joined the list of stars praising the Spanish teenager.

The veteran coach featured in an episode of the ‘Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe’ podcast. Towards the end of the episode, van Nostrand heaped praise on Alcaraz’s playing style. He also compared the Spaniard to the former American tennis icon Andre Agassi, who he coached back in the early 2000s.

Carlos Alcaraz is a trickster on the tennis court, says van Nostrand

Not many tennis players come to mind when it comes to tricking their opponents into thinking that they’re playing defense when they’re actually playing offense. However, according to van Nostrand, that’s exactly what Carlos Alcaraz does. He said, “Even if you’re backing him up and he’s got all his weight on his backfoot, he’s leaning back all the way, he’s got a flick lob that’s going to absolutely crush you”.

While voicing his opinion about Alcaraz, Van Nostrand also remarked on Alcaraz’s incredibly powerful shots when “he’s stepping into a ball.” Furthermore, van Nostrand turned back the clock as he reflected on how former tennis ace Andre Agassi would hit the ball when he was at the peak of his powers.

Van Nostrand compared Alcaraz’s shot to “Andre hitting the ball when he won the Australian Open in 2001.” He also looked back on Agassi’s Davis Cup experience in Zimbabwe. According to van Nostrand, at the time, “Andre Agassi was hitting the ball as hard as Alcaraz is now.”

Read More: ‘It’s a Shame’- 19-Year-Old Carlos Alcaraz Goes Bold as He Shuns Recurring Rafael Nadal Comparison With Confidence Post Barcelona Open Win

Van Nostrand is not the only coach who rates Alcaraz highly

Alcaraz’s achievements so far are undoubtedly impressive. There are many who believe that the young Spaniard will go on to achieve great things. Among them is Patrick Mouratoglou, another iconic coach who trained Serena Williams in the past and revolutionized tennis. Right now, Mouratoglou is coaching Holger Rune.

In 2022, Mouratoglou opined that Carlos Alcaraz’s playing style is a mix of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer’s respective styles. This is truly a frightening proposition for Alcaraz’s opposition.

Do you think Alcaraz can break the records of the ‘Big 3’ in the future?

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