The world No. 1, Carlos Alcaraz, defeated Arthur Rinderknech in the third round of Indian Wells and made a comment that immediately sparked talk in the tennis world. The Spaniard struggled to close the match as the Frenchman pushed it to the third set. After winning, Alcaraz said that he feels players raise their level against him, making him feel like he’s playing against “Roger Federer” in every match. Speaking to L’Equipe in Miami, Rinderknech delivered a sharp counter-argument that directly addressed the core of the debate.

“I’m not sure he’s always playing against guys who play like Federer. If that were the case, Alcaraz wouldn’t be winning all these matches as he does. When you see him thrashing everyone most of the time, if those guys played like Federer, I think he’d be in more trouble in his matches,” Rinderknech stated. “It’s a bit like all the Ligue 1 teams when they play PSG; it’s the match of the year. And occasionally, some of them will play a match that’s, let’s say, a little above their usual level,” he added.

Alcaraz was unbeaten this year until he faced Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals at the Californian Gardens. The Russian beat him in straight sets to advance to the finals. Before this match, the 22-year-old looked unstoppable, having won his first Australian Open title and seventh Grand Slam at the start of the year itself. He complemented that title with another victory at the Qatar Open, stretching his streak to 16 wins, until it was finally broken at Indian Wells. 

He now suffered another setback at the Miami Open, losing in the third round to 32nd seed Sebastian Korda, raising questions about his form. A player who began 2026 in impressive form has now experienced consecutive exits at the Sunshine Double. What has changed for the two-time Indian Wells champion and 2022 Miami Open winner in North America this year?

The logic is difficult to argue with. The world No. 1, who finishes most tournaments with dominant performances and routinely wins in straight sets, is now facing the pressure of being at the top. Rafael Nadal’s uncle and one of the most respected coaching minds in the sport, Toni Nadal, also offered a similar blunt take on the statement. 

“Obviously, if Carlos plays well, he is always the favorite. I do not agree at all. It’s not a matter of a target in the back. When you play with someone better than you, you know that you have to hurry up the shots more,” Toni said.

After losing to Medvedev in the semifinal at Indian Wells, Alcaraz was looking for redemption at the Miami Open. While the top seed won his blockbuster second-round clash against Joao Fonseca in straight sets, his run was ended by an American in the third round, and the debate was reignited. 

Sebastian Korda stunned Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open

The Miami campaign of the world No. 1 stopped abruptly with a sudden shock in the third round when Sebastian Korda created the surprise of the tournament, defeating Carlos Alcaraz 3-6, 7-5, 4-6. The American could have finished the match in two sets, as he was serving for the match in the second set at 5-4, but the Spaniard took the match to the third set. 

A very controlled aggression was displayed by the American. His serve and baseline shots were on point as he hit 12 aces and 38 winners in the match, numbers significantly more than those of Alcaraz. This marked the conclusion of a hard Sunshine Double for the 22-year-old. 

In the aftermath of the Korda defeat, Alcaraz returned to the same theme he had raised at Indian Wells. 

“When players face me, they don’t have the same pressure as against other players,” he said.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion will now turn his eyes solely to the red dirt on which he has won two Roland Garros titles. The controversy he has created, talking about the pressure, perception, and the real meaning of being the No. 1 player, will haunt him throughout his season. But the question is whether he will be able to handle the pressure and put his defeats against Medvedev and Korda in the background.