Alcaraz and his resemblance to the 'Big Three': "I haven't imitated anyone"

Pedro de Pablos | 20 Feb 2026 | 21.10

Alcaraz and his resemblance to the 'Big Three': "I haven't copied anyone"

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Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Andrey Rublev in the semifinals of ATP Doha 2026 to reach his twelfth final in the last 13 tournaments he has played. The world number one aims to add another title to his record, and following his victory, he spoke in a press conference about Jannik Sinner's defeat against Jakub Mensik yesterday and the constant comparisons with the 'Big Three'.

The world number one acknowledged being surprised by the defeat of Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, but also praised the new talents emerging in the circuit who are increasingly making things more challenging. Similarly, he put an end to any potential debate between his game and that of the 'Big Three' after the constant comparisons with Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic, recognizing that he plays his way without imitating others.

Alcaraz is surprised by Sinner's defeat and talks about his resemblance to the 'Big Three'

-Match against Rublev

"Yes, it was a very tough match. Andrey is one of the most powerful players, if not the most powerful, that we have on the circuit right now. He has a fantastic forehand shot and an incredible pace from the baseline. Yes, today I had to run a lot. I had to fight a lot today. I am very happy and proud to have won in two sets and reached my first final here in Doha."

-Turning points in the match

"Sometimes I make many mistakes and simply do not choose the right shot at the right moment. I think that is part of my game, I suppose, and I am trying to make it not happen very often. I think when you have many shots in your repertoire, it is always great because the opponent does not expect it, you know, or does not know what will happen next. But at the same time, tennis is about making decisions in about a second. So when you have three or four decisions in your head and you have to choose the right one in just a second, sometimes you choose the wrong one. It's complicated, but that's how I play tennis. That's how I like to play tennis, and I have to accept it and live with it."

-Preparation for the final

"I will try to prepare as best as I can. Obviously, being a final, I will try not to do anything different from what I have done in the previous matches. I will try to face it in the same way. I am very happy to have given myself the opportunity to lift the trophy here in Doha for the first time in my second participation here. It is a fantastic feeling. Tomorrow is going to be a great day. I am very excited about it. I am looking forward to playing my first final here. I will try to sleep well, prepare well in the morning, and be ready for the night."

-Importance of crowd support

"Today there were a bit more people on the court. There was a fantastic atmosphere, a fantastic feeling, fantastic support on my part. I could also hear some fans cheering for Andrey, which is great, having both sides. But speaking of myself, I felt the affection. I feel the support. Obviously, in these types of tough and close matches, the support and affection of the people help a lot. And they really play an important role in the match, which I tried to take full advantage of. I am happy to live this experience, of the people here and the support they give me. As I said, I am very grateful for their support."

-66 weeks as number one and Sinner's defeat against Mensik

"It will be a fantastic number, obviously. My goal is simply to stay at the top for as many weeks as possible and reach or try to reach the final of all tournaments. I am very happy to have achieved it in the last tournament. I mean, I was surprised, I won't lie, I was surprised that Jannik lost. But at the same time, I know what players are capable of. There are some players who are really dangerous when they have a good day."

"For example, Mensik and many other players, their problem is, I would say, consistency, and playing at that level in all matches. But when they have a good day, they are really dangerous and can beat anyone, including myself. So, in a way, I was surprised, but at the same time not surprised at all. I am just happy to see that I have a significant points advantage, but I will try to keep focusing on it."

-Similarities between his style and that of the 'Big Three'

"That is my style, that is me, that is how I grew up. Obviously, I admired Roger and Rafa when I was younger, tried to imitate their things. But as you grow older, you just try to define yourself, define your type of tennis. I think that's what I did. At some point, I knew what my style was and started to practice it. Now it's natural, it comes naturally to me. I have not imitated anyone in this sport, but, you know, people have talked about it because, with the 'Big Three' existing, there are probably many players, or right now you can see all the players and think, 'Okay, this serve is his, this serve is that one's.' But I think everyone has their style, and nobody has copied anyone in this sport. For me, it's simply Carlos."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz y su parecido con el "Big Three": "No he imitado a nadie"

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