‘Should Have His Own Identity’- Carlos Alcaraz Hit With a Major Warning as Tennis Bigwig Drops a Bombshell

Pete Sampras once called Carlos Alcaraz “one of the quintessential artists in tennis,” and with four major titles at just 21, it’s easy to see why. But even with those impressive credentials, Alcaraz currently sits at number three in the ATP rankings. Why? Consistency has been a challenge in his pursuit of his biggest rival, Jannik Sinner. Following his ups and downs in Rotterdam, a former pro has weighed in on these struggles.

Former world No. 33 Paolo Lorenzi, now a consultant for the Italian channel Super Tennis, shared his thoughts on Carlos Alcaraz. “He should have his own identity, his own style of play that is always the same and superior to other players outside the world’s top 20. And when he lights up, he can beat Sinner and play at his best. He still doesn’t have that identity, like when he plays against players ranked around 100 in the world. Then he often wins them because he has the qualities to do so. But there is really no continuity during his matches,” Lorenzi said as reported by WeLoveTennis.

One potential weakness in Carlos Alcaraz’s game is that his aggressive style, while often a strength, can sometimes lead him to try to finish points too quickly. This can result in missed shots when opponents manage to effectively return his attacks and extend the rallies. However, Alcaraz himself has a different story to back his game. “I do not define myself by anyone else,” he said in May. I’m simply 100 percent Alcaraz.” 

The Spaniard’s opening match against Botic Van de Zandschulp took an unexpected turn. Despite his reliable dominance, the ATP star struggled in the second set. However, he eventually took control, winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-1. After the match, Alcaraz complained about the court conditions. Taylor Fritz, too, has shockingly become a victim of these troubles. 

Taylor Fritz becomes a victim of the concerns that Carlos Alcaraz complained about

Carlos Alcaraz’s concerns about inconsistent playing conditions quickly became relevant after Taylor Fritz spoke about his injury at the Dallas Open. The world No. 4 returned to action in his home country after his Australian Open third round loss to Gael Monfils. The Frenchman stunned Fritz in four sets at Melbourne Park, but Fritz moved past that defeat and started strong in Dallas. However, he had to deal with a physical issue before stepping onto the court.

Fritz is aiming for his first indoor title and made an impressive start by defeating Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets, dropping only six games. After the match, he spoke with Tennis Channel and revealed that he had been recovering from an oblique injury. He explained that the injury was caused by unexpected differences in the tennis balls used at different tournaments, something Alcaraz and other players have also criticized.

“I was trying to recover a bit from an injury, I hurt myself a bit before,” Fritz said. “It was my oblique, it was caused because of the balls that were supposed to be the same balls as the ones we were using here and the ones we used in Australia but they just weren’t. They were like the deadest balls ever so I’m just throwing my whole body into every single shot I hit and I think I maybe slightly tore something. But I was rehabbing it and just trying to get it good to play tonight, and it felt pretty good tonight, so I’m happy.”

Despite growing concerns and numerous complaints, authorities have yet to take action on the ongoing issues.