Carlos Alcaraz has said he wants to equal Novak Djokovic’s total of 24 Grand Slam titles. Former ATP player Paul McNamee, however, does not think that will happen anytime soon.

McNamee is generally known as a big supporter of Djokovic. He rarely says anything negative about the Serbian player, as he has always favoured the 24-time major winner, and his views over the years have certainly supported that.

He called Djokovic the best tennis player of all time and while the Serb certainly lives up to that with all his achievements, it shows that McNamee has a clear favorite in the much talked about ‘GOAT Race’.

With that in mind, the former player doesn’t think Alcaraz will be able to reach 24 Grand Slams anytime soon. Alcaraz has expressed a desire to become the best in history, which means reaching some of the milestones that Djokovic has achieved.

Grand Slams are a clear example of this, but the Spaniard has made a fast start. He has already won four majors and has won two by 2024, which is a better tally than Djokovic had at that age.

The Serb won only his fourth Grand Slam at the age of 24, while Alcaraz is only 21. He still has plenty of time to achieve his goals, but he will have to continue to impress and compete for a long time to come.

There is no guarantee that he can do it, and that is why McNamee has serious doubts that he can achieve it. Speaking to SportKlub, McNamee admitted that while Alcaraz’s goals are technically possible, they are unlikely for him because Alcaraz would need about 20 years, years that he is unlikely to have in the sport.

“It will take 20 years for someone like Alcaraz to break Novak’s Grand Slam record – it is not impossible, but unlikely. So in 20 years, Novak will be called the best of all time. Forget all personal affinities, his biography is the best.”

The former player also made his case for why Djokovic is the greatest of all time, with McNamee saying the 37-year-old’s Olympic victory settled the debate.

“You could argue that the Olympics aren’t that important, but I don’t think so. I think they were very important, especially for people who were saying Novak wasn’t the GOAT. It was definitely decided in Paris who the GOAT is.”

“I personally never called him the best until the Olympics. I always said that everyone should finish their career first, but the gold at the Olympics has already cemented Novak’s status.”

“A huge success, not only because of the gold, but also because of the way he achieved it – he played a fantastic match against an excellent tennis player like Alcaraz.”