Why the tennis world can't stop talking about wonderkid Alcaraz

Tipped as the natural successor to 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal, 19-year-old wonderkid Carlos Alcaraz is fast becoming the next big thing in men's tennis. Just how good is he?

With every shot in the book and a mentality to match, here is a player with the tennis world already at his feet and looks set to be a fixture at the top of the sport for years to come.

He has won four titles already in 2022 including the Masters events in Miami and Madrid, where he defeated the gilded duo of Nadal and Novak Djokovic before seeing off Alexander Zverev in successive matches.

Hailing from the southern city of Murcia, Alcaraz turned professional in 2018 and, under the tutelage of former world No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, quickly announced himself as a serious talent.

Alcaraz already has a complete game, boasting powerful groundstrokes and the best drop shot around, but the most striking thing for a player of his age is his maturity on and off the court.

His best performance at a Grand Slam so far came at the US Open last year, when he reached the quarter-finals, but he is being touted as the most likely challenger to Nadal and Djokovic for the Coupe Des Mousquetaires.

Alcaraz makes no secret of his ambition, saying in an interview with Marca: "My goal until the end of the year is to try to win one of the three remaining Grand Slams. It is a great motivation for me and I will fight for it."

Nadal may not be ready to pass the torch on yet but he has warmed up to the future of Spanish tennis and put an arm around Alcaraz, not just to encourage him but also to protect him from the media frenzy.

"If he's able to win 25 Grand Slams, it's going to be amazing for him and for our country, and I'll be happy for him. But let him enjoy his personal