Former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic has praised Carlos Alcaraz as one of the top players in tennis but pointed out a significant flaw in the 21-year-old’s game: the lack of a backup plan when his primary strategy falters. Despite Alcaraz’s impressive success over the past three seasons, including a strong start to 2023 with six tournament wins, inconsistency has been a recurring issue.
A notable example of this inconsistency occurred after Alcaraz’s victory at Wimbledon in 2023, when he did not secure another title until the Indian Wells Masters in March 2024. While he has demonstrated the ability to defeat nearly all of the current top players, there have been instances where he struggled to adapt his game in crucial matches.
Petkovic cited Alcaraz’s performance in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open, where he was defeated by Alexander Zverev with a score of 6-1, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-4, as a prime example of his inability to adjust when his main tactics failed. “When Carlos is bad, he is (expletive) horrendous. He doesn’t have a Plan B,” she stated on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
In his recent outings, Alcaraz faced unexpected defeats, including losses to Tomas Machac in Shanghai and Ugo Humbert in Paris. At the ATP Finals, he finished with a disappointing 1-2 record in the group stage, failing to advance to the semifinals.Looking ahead, Alcaraz’s next tournament will be the Australian Open, marking the start of his 2025 season.
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