While Jannik Sinner remains sidelined after reaching an agreement with the ITIA ahead of his doping hearing, Carlos Alcaraz has been unable to capitalize on the opportunity to claim titles and close the gap in the ATP rankings. Despite being ranked No. 3, he has also failed to surpass Alexander Zverev (No. 2), who had a rough stretch in South America, Mexico, and the U.S.
Former World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander recently weighed in on Alcaraz’s struggles. Speaking with Eurosport, the Swedish tennis legend analyzed Alcaraz’s poor performances in his recent tournaments.
“I think Carlos Alcaraz is going through what he will face for the rest of his career: inconsistency,” Wilander noted. “Sometimes, he will pull off miracles that help him win matches, and other times, he will do the same and still lose”.
Wilander also analyzed Alcaraz’s semifinal loss to Jack Draper at Indian Wells, where the Spaniard barely put up a fight in the opening set. “Obviously, losing to Jack Draper the way he did was very unusual for a top player,” he continued. “You don’t lose a set that easily, nor do you come back and win the next one so convincingly”.
Jack Draper shakes hands at the net after his three set victory against Carlos Alcaraz in their Semifinal round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. (live Brunskill/Getty Images)
“Losing 6-4 in the third set against Draper isn’t a huge issue, but in the end, I believe Alcaraz will be quite inconsistent in terms of results. We’re not used to seeing a former No. 1, and likely a future No. 1, struggle with consistency this much,” he added.
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Wilander compares Alcaraz to Andre Agassi
Wilander drew parallels between Alcaraz and tennis icon Andre Agassi, who also dealt with similar fluctuations in form. “You have to go back to Agassi’s time, when he would win tournaments and Grand Slams but then suffer early-round exits—especially when he played in Europe, whether on indoor courts or clay,” Wilander explained. “Then, he would return to the U.S. and dominate again, reclaiming the No. 1 ranking. I think Alcaraz’s inconsistencies are along those lines”.
Alcaraz’s underwhelming runs in Indian Wells and Miami
Arriving in the U.S. as the top title contender for both Indian Wells and Miami—especially with Sinner serving a suspension for last year’s doping violation—Alcaraz seemed poised to dominate on hard courts. However, his performances fell well short of expectations.
In Indian Wells, he suffered a shocking semifinal defeat to Jack Draper, losing 6-1, 0-6, 6-4. But his Miami campaign was even more disappointing, as he was eliminated in the first round by veteran David Goffin, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
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