Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in disagreement about Carlos Alcaraz advice

Tennis legend Rafael Nadalhas dismissed comparisons between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to himself, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. The 22-time Grand Slam winner has also rejected Federer's advice to Alcaraz about viewing a tennis career in five-year periods.

Nadal, 39, called time on his playing days in late 2024 with a remarkable 22 major championships under his belt. Alcaraz, 22, and Sinner, 23, have already accumulated 10 Grand Slam victories between them, with the Spaniard claiming six, including this year's US Open, compared to the Italian's four.

Nadal, though, is hesitant to draw parallels between tennis' newest stars and the trio widely considered the finest ever to step onto court.

Speaking at a charity golf event in Majorca, the 14-time French Open winner said: "Federer, Djokovic and I were who we were, and that's all. Everyone has to live their own story; every story is different, and there's no point in constantly comparing yourself to others."

Reflecting on his collection of 22 titles, Federer's 20 and Djokovic's 24, the Manacor-born icon added: "What we experienced was a period in which three players slightly altered the numbers that had existed until then."

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Federer, 44, had previously advised Alcaraz to consider his career in five-year blocks. Speaking at this year's US Open, the 22-year-old Spaniard said: "He told me, 'You have to be focused on the next five years', from here to when I am 27. And then, when I get 27, then think about five years more. It's not about thinking in 15 or 20 years. It's just about going year by year or just thinking about just five years maximum."

Nevertheless, it's not guidance Nadal agrees with. "Five years is a lot, and even more so in tennis, where at any moment things can change drastically," Nadal responded.

"I think in the end what he has to do is enjoy the moment, which is brilliant, and keep working to keep meeting objectives, to keep improving, and train every day with the enthusiasm to be better at something.

"Even if you are the best in the world, there is always room for improvement in certain areas; that is the daily motivation. I would enjoy the day-to-day, and then we will see how everything evolves. Obviously, in life, goals are very important and you must have them in the short, medium and long term, but I never worked on a five-year basis."

Whilst he disagreed with the advice from his legendary rival, Nadal is convinced Alcaraz is destined to create history, regardless of how he chooses to plan his career. The 39-year-old also noted that Alcaraz was helping Spain maintain its position as a tennis powerhouse.

He continued: "Alcaraz's career seems to be on course to become something unique. Yes, he is having an impressive career. He is a very special player; we have known that for years, but it has been confirmed over time, and he keeps improving what is already an impressive career.

"The truth is that having someone like him in Spain helps us remain a leading country in world tennis, which we have been for many years - and I am not just speaking about myself; it goes back a long way. Carlos provides continuity to this whole era of success, not only in tennis but in sport in general.

"Hopefully, he can have a very long career, which is also what you need to reach certain numbers, and hopefully, he stays injury-free and everything goes brilliantly. And well, let's leave him to it. He has six [Grand Slam titles], which is an incredible number at his age, and I hope he wins as many as he can."