MATS WILANDER: CARLOS ALCARAZ SHOULD BE THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER IN HISTORY, LIKE ROGER FEDERER
After winning the US Open in 2022, Carlos Alcaraz has fallen in the world rankings and is now outside the top two. He won Indian Wells, but his inconsistent play cost him the Sunshine Double, as he lost the Miami Open in the quarterfinals.
Mats Wilander believes Carlos Alcaraz will go down as one of the all-time great tennis players because of his inconsistent and unpredictable style.
The 20-year-old Spaniard has fallen out of the top two in the world rankings for the first time since his quick ascent to the top of the game led to his victory at the US Open in 2022.Despite winning at Indian Wells in March, Alcaraz suffered a humiliating straight-set loss to Grigor Dimitrov in the Miami Open quarterfinals.
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Wilander believes Alcaraz’s future will go in a completely different direction.
Once more, I consistently refer to Federer as the best player of all time, and my opinion is unaffected by the numbers or the outcomes. It has to do with people’s expectations and what he intended for the sport. Carlos Alcaraz is experiencing a similar situation.Highlights: Miami semifinals: Dazzling Dimitrov defeats Alcaraz
People anticipate more from a player than just winning games.Carlos Alcaraz’s detractors adore it. Like Grigor Dimitrov, they enjoy playing against him because it’s entertaining.He approaches the net and makes drop shots.
However, this does not imply that Jannik Sinner or even Novak Djokovic will have the same level of consistency in the rankings. It’s not the style of tennis he plays.After losing to Dimitrov in Miami, Alcaraz felt 13 years old.
Alcaraz’s clay-court season is anticipated to start in the Monte Carlo Masters, where he will start preparing for the French Open.
For the young Spaniard, Wilander believes that falling in the rankings can perhaps be a blessing in disguise.
People demand more from Carlos Alcaraz than just winning tennis matches, which is something that perhaps Nick Kyrgios had to deal with occasionally, he added.
They are counting on him to produce clutch defensive stops and make huge shots before turning the tide.
I believe that feeling like he has to perform in the entertainment role in addition to having to win will be really taxing for him over the course of his career.
