Carlos Alcaraz is arguably the best tennis player on the planet right now and is being tipped to finish his career standing alongside the greats of the sport.
Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal set a precedent that few thought anyone could match, and yet along came this young Spaniard and Jannik Sinner to swiftly re-establish a dominance over the ATP Tour.
However, what makes Alcaraz so special is the fact that he seems to blend hard work and talent with a refreshing personality, seeking to find the perfect balance between business and pleasure.
Golf has become a particularly favoured pastime of his in recent years, adding to his well-established love for football too.
And, earlier this year, he actually spoke about how it felt to be compared to two of the greatest footballers of all time.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
The comparison in question actually sought to draw parallels between his rivalry with Sinner and that of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
After all, in that age-old football debate, many argue that whilst the Argentine was blessed with incredible god-given talent, the former Real Madrid superstar made it to the top due to ruthless efficiency and incredible hard work.
As such, Alcaraz has been aligned with Messi, whilst Sinner with Ronaldo.
The Spaniard reacted to this comparison, noting: “Probably, it could be like that. But it’s a great comparison. I mean, I’m just really happy that I have comparisons like that in the tennis side.
“But yeah, probably he’s more of a hard worker, and I have more talent, but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have talent or that I don’t, you know, work hard. So it’s a mix of both, but I think it’s a good one.”
The lazy Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo narrative
Whilst it is fun to compare superstars between sports, the fact of the matter is that this particular narrative surrounding Messi and Ronaldo is so lazy.
After all, it almost implies that the Portuguese legend was not one of, if not the most talented players of all time.
And, similarly, Messi did not have to work hard to get where he did.
Alcaraz hints at the laziness of this narrative in his response, although he was naturally flattered at this comparison.
Time will almost certainly look back upon Messi and Ronaldo, and Alcaraz and Sinner, with far greater appreciation.
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