Carlos Alcaraz’s hard-court season could not have started better, but it’s fair to say that it has fizzled out in recent months since then.
After all, following the incredible high that was winning the Australian Open and completing the career Grand Slam, he has since suffered two shock defeats in America that have some questioning him as we enter the clay-court swing.
The Spaniard has spoken about how almost all players have started raising their level whenever they face him a lot lately, and that phenomenon is likely a huge contributing factor to these two surprise losses.
Carlos Alcaraz would insist as much, discussing his recent loss at the Miami Open to an unplayable Seb Korda.
Carlos Alcaraz rates his performance after losing to Seb Korda
Speaking at his press conference, Alcaraz did not seem too disheartened despite the nature of his loss.
After all, around this time last year, he suffered a similarly surprising defeat, and he then went on to win two Grand Slam titles whilst also wrestling back the world number one spot.
What do you think is Carlos Alcaraz’s best surface and why?
In the end, he gave far more credit to Korda’s performance than he did his own, admitting: “It was a tough match. I think Sebi was incredible today. He played such a great game. There were a lot of tight moments where I just did not make the most of it, and I think he was better on those points and in those moments.
“I would say that was the key of the match, so congratulations to him. I think he deserved it.
“I think I played a good match, I would say. There were just some moments where I think he just played great, and I just didn’t play a good point. There were a lot of 30-30, 40-40, advantage, that I just didn’t make.
“But we have to see the other side of the net, and I think that point Sebi played such a great level.”
Alcaraz then explained that he and his team had already begun dissecting the match, and they remain positive.
He insisted: “With my team we have talked a little bit, and we saw in all parts of my game what I did great and what I did good, and I would say what I was practising I think I did really well.
“There were a couple of things in previous tournaments where I did not feel comfortable, and in this tournament I have started to feel better and better so I think the process has been good, besides the loss today, but I think I am still in the right way.”
Jannik Sinner can now close the gap on Carlos Alcaraz
Just days after Joao Fonseca claimed that Alcaraz had more to his game than Jannik Sinner, it’s actually the Italian who seems on track to have the last laugh.
After all, having already won Indian Wells last week, he is now the overwhelming favourite to do so again in Miami, thus completing the Sunshine Double.
If he were to achieve this feat, the ranking points windfall would be huge, coming right before a significant stretch of the tour where he has no points to defend.
Which member of the ‘Big Three’ is Carlos Alcaraz most similar to? Let us know why below👇
Sinner missed the bulk of the clay-court swing last year as he served his three-month ban from the sport.
As such, at events like Monte-Carlo, Munich and Madrid, he enters with a clean slate, and yet will be the favourite to reach the final of all of them.
By the time Roland Garros comes around, if Alcaraz does not repeat his 2025 domination, the gap between the world number one and two could be tiny.
