After triumphing at the Madrid as well as in Barcelona Open, Carlos Alcaraz was seen as a favorite to win the clay-court Major. However, suffering from cramps in the semifinal against Novak Djokovic, the young Spaniard lost the match. Thus, former US Open winner, Juan Martin del Potro has something to say about him.
The playing career of Juan Martin del Potro was one of a kind. He would have achieved a lot more success on the top stage if injuries were not a thing. Most importantly, the Argentine also managed to win a Major title in an era dominated by the “Big 3”.
However, his recent comments on Alcaraz have fueled a compelling debate on social media. The 34-year-old has drawn a comparison between Alcaraz’s semifinal match against Novak Djokovic and his win over Roger Federer at US Open.
“Alcaraz is 20 & he had cramps after playing 2 sets with Djokovic; I won the US Open against Federer when I was 20. I never had a problem beating the best. My problem was taking care of my wrist. My toughest opponent was my body. I was not afraid to play the best” said Martin del Potro.
The two-time Roland Garros semifinalist stated that his biggest opponent was his body as he had no problem beating the best. However, his comments faced censure from tennis fans on social media.
“Carlos won the US Open after winning 3 consecutive 5-set matches, one of which lasted 5 and a half hours, and all of that at 19 years old. Arrogant comment by Juan Martín.” A user quoted.
Alcaraz won in Madrid after beating Nadal and Novak back to back, the latter in a match of almost 4 hours. Carlos won the USOpen after winning 3 consecutive 5-set matches, one of which lasted 5 and a half hours, and all of that at 19 years old. Arrogant comment by Juan Martín.
— Eme (@Eme11074286) June 16, 2023
Consequently, the majority of the fans didn’t expect the Argentine to take a dig at the 20-year-old who attains the caliber of becoming the next big thing in the world of tennis. Thus, fans didn’t hold back in calling the comments ‘shady’.
Oha. Shady comments.
— Raffi (@rnw_ch) June 16, 2023
Here are a few more reactions.
Yeah, that’s definitely a shot aimed at Alcaraz.
— Florian Ederer (@florianederer) June 16, 2023
Yeah, that’s definitely a shot aimed at Alcaraz.
— Florian Ederer (@florianederer) June 16, 2023
Very inappropriate comments of an otherwise nice guy.
He could have said the same thing, without having to mention Carlos Alcaraz in the context.— Cobi Schmidt (@torero5x0) June 16, 2023
The “I was not afraid” comment makes this shady, which is off-brand for Del Potro.
— Matt Stillm (@MattStillm) June 16, 2023
Could you imagine Rafa making a comment like this?! Rafa respects fellow players. Even if he didn’t say this to be negative to Carlos, if it’s questionable, it is not necessary to say.
— The genesis RAFA!🎾♟💪 (@KarenDWhitt4) June 16, 2023
How can Carlos Alcaraz regain the World No. 1 ranking again?
After Roger Federer announced his retirement and Rafael Nadal got injured, Carlos Alcaraz took charge of giving Novak Djokovic the tough competition he always required. In 2023, the two have been battling for the top spot.
However, as Novak Djokovic won the 2023 Roland Garros, he managed to grasp the top spot ahead of the clay-court Major top seed, Alcaraz. However, if the young Spaniard wants to become the World No. 1 again, he has to perform well at Wimbledon.
Although looking at his record on the grass court, it seems highly unlikely. Carlos Alcaraz attains a 4-2 win-loss record on the grass court Major. Moreover, in 2022, he lost against Jannik Sinner in the fourth round at All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Consequently, he has also accepted that making movements on the grass court is difficult for him. However, if he wants to leave the experienced Novak Djokovic behind, he has to finish above the Serb at Wimbledon.