Carlos Alcaraz continues to impress following his return to the court at the Rome Open after recovering from an adductor injury. The Spanish star showcased his incredible skills by defeating Jack Draper to secure a spot in the semifinals. However, former World No. 4 Tim Henman has pointed out a significant weakness in Alcaraz’s game that could hinder his chances at Roland Garros.
The match against Draper didn’t start smoothly for Alcaraz, as the Brit broke his serve early to take a 4-2 lead in the first set. But the Spaniard quickly regained control and claimed the set 6-4. Despite this strong performance, Henman believes Alcaraz’s shot selection remains a concern.
“The one area I have reflected on with Alcaraz for some time is shot selection,” Henman told Sky Sports Tennis. “Shot selection is around concentration, clarity of thought, and when I watched him play today [against Draper], it was erratic”.
Henman emphasized that while Alcaraz is capable of executing incredible, seemingly impossible shots, lapses in concentration occasionally lead to poor decisions that could ultimately cost him matches. “He does hit some amazing shots, but he throws in a double fault when you are least expecting it and goes for a crazy shot and misses it,” Henman explained.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain plays a backhand against Laslo Djere of Serbia during the third round of the Rome Open. (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
However, Henman remains optimistic that Alcaraz’s focus will sharpen at Roland Garros, as the Grand Slam environment demands a higher level of intensity and discipline. “For me, there isn’t quite the discipline and intensity at this event. I would expect that to change in a Grand Slam,” Henman added.
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Henman also noted that if Alcaraz aspires to reach the legendary status of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, he must improve his discipline and decision-making on the court.
“The reality is, the very best have good habits whatever the event,” Henman explained. “With Alcaraz, we are in a conversation with Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, and that’s the slight question mark with Alcaraz. I love watching him play; he’s absolutely brilliant, but there are times when he lacks the discipline around shot selection”.
