There are moments in tennis when two different eras quietly intertwine - when the past nods to the present, and the present smiles back with gratitude. This week, that moment belonged to Roger Federer and Carlos Alcaraz. 

A few days ago, Federer offered a fascinating observation while reflecting on modern tennis. Watching Jannik Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon had triggered a wave of nostalgia in him. “When I saw Dimitrov play Sinner at Wimbledon, I started to imagine what it would have been like to play against Jannik. He plays in a very different way from me.” But it was Alcaraz who sparked the strongest sense of deja vu. “The truth is that when I watch Carlos compete, I perceive more similarities with me, and I feel more identified. The way he drop shots, comes to the net, how he is able to alternate defenses and attacks... Both of us like to play our way; I feel involved with his mindset.”

Recently when reporters brought up Federer’s remarks, Carlos Alcaraz couldn’t help but grin. He said, “It was a great feeling... I agree with him. We said before Jannik is more similar to Djokovic in terms of tennis & his game. I could see myself a bit similar to Roger.” The Spaniard wasn’t making a new claim. In fact, his admiration for Roger Federer and the recognition of stylistic parallels goes back several years.

Travel back to September 2021. Alcaraz was just 18, making his debut at New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium, playing under the bright lights of a Grand Slam second week for the first time. He had just reached the fourth round at the US Open, and reporters were eager to understand the teenager’s fearless, unpredictable style. “Honestly, I don’t copy any style of other players – I just play my game,” he said then. But when pressed, he finally offered one name. Guess who?

“But if I have to say one player that is similar [to] game, I think it’s Federer. I think [Federer is] similar as my game, trying to be aggressive all the time. I think it is a good, similar [player]. Yeah, trying to be aggressive all the time with the forehand, backhand. I think I have to improve a little bit the serve, but I think it is similar.”

Interestingly, even tennis legend Mats Wilander once said that Carlos Alcaraz’s unpredictability and variety reminded him of the same Swiss champion who transformed tennis with fluidity and creativity rather than brute force. “When I see Carlos Alcaraz play tennis, it reminds me so much of the great Roger Federer. Again, I normally call him [Federer] the greatest player of all time, and that has nothing to do with the statistics or the results. It has to do with what he meant for the sport and the expectations that people had. Carlos Alcaraz is going through the same thing.”

According to Wilander, Alcaraz could become the second most important player to ever play our sport because of what he brings to the court. Guess what? The 22-year-old Spaniard has already covered a lot of distance. He’s not only the current world number one, but Alcaraz has already won six Grand Slam titles. Can he get his seventh in Melbourne this time?

Roger Federer hopes Carlos Alcaraz completes the Career Grand Slam at the 2026 AO

Roger Federer may have stepped away from the sport nearly four years ago, but the magic of his presence still echoes through every corridor of Melbourne Park. As he makes his formal return to the AO - this time as an honored guest rather than a real competitor in the main event, the crowds still chant his name, and the cameras still swarm around him. The legend may be retired, but his voice continues to shape the narrative of men’s tennis. And this year, at the center of that narrative is Carlos Alcaraz.

During a media session in Melbourne, Federer was asked: Can Carlos Alcaraz complete the Career Grand Slam at the 2026 Australian Open? “Those things are tough. At the end of the day, like I say, the momentum shifts after the first round. Then it’s point-for-point mentality. But it’s true, in order to complete the career Grand Slam already now would be crazy. So let’s see if he is able to do ‘crazy’ this week. I hope he does because for the game, again, that would be an unbelievable, special moment.” But even the realist, Federer, finished with a reminder:

“He has another hundred and whatever players that say, We don’t agree with those plans. They might try to stop him.” If Carlos Alcaraz wins the AO title this year, then he would become the youngest male player in history to complete the Career Grand Slam. So, there is already a lot at stake for the Spaniard in Melbourne.

There have been a lot of murmurs going on with his recent split with his longtime coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and how that bold move is going to affect his AO campaign. Samuel Lopez has taken charge to guide him for the time being, but several names have been popping up time and again as a replacement for Ferrer. Considering their admission of a similar style of play, is there a chance of Federer taking up this role in the near future?

Well, to this the Swiss Maestro clearly said, “No, I’m definitely out, maybe I could give him some advice on the periphery, but, yeah, everybody knows. I’m too busy with my children and with my life at the minute, so, yeah.”

Despite shutting down the coaching idea, Federer has time and again expressed his huge admiration for Alcaraz’s incredible talent. Do you think Carlos Alcaraz can win the AO title this year and write his name in the history books of the tennis world once again?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallyTennis. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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