Carlos Alcaraz may already be a four-time Grand Slam champion, but even the most electrifying young star in tennis has areas to improve. While his explosive groundstrokes and incredible athleticism have made him a fan favorite, one major flaw continues to hold him back—his consistency and focus.
In his own words, the 21-year-old Spaniard acknowledged that maintaining a high level throughout a match remains a work in progress.
“It is something I am working on, yes. What happened in the first round was that I had many ups and downs within the match, and I tried to prevent that from happening today.”
Alcaraz’s Biggest Weakness: The Struggle to Stay Locked In
Alcaraz’s ability to dominate a set and then suddenly lose control in the next has been a recurring issue in his young career.
This inconsistency was evident in his first-round match at the 2025 Rotterdam Open, where he needed three sets to beat Botic van de Zandschulp despite being the clear favorite. However, he responded with a flawless performance in the second round, dropping just three games against Andrea Vavassori.
Still, one match doesn’t erase the concerns, and Alcaraz knows it.
“I am happy to have achieved it, to have improved what needed to be improved. Today was a great day for me, I felt very good.”
The issue isn’t just about performance in a single match—it’s about his ability to maintain a high level throughout an entire tournament, something that separates the all-time greats from the very good players.
Another Area of Concern: His Serve Needs More Firepower
While Alcaraz’s baseline game is among the best on tour, his serve remains a weak link, especially compared to young rival Jannik Sinner, who generates far more free points off his first serve.
Alcaraz has already made visible improvements to his serve in 2025, but it still lacks the bite needed to dominate opponents consistently. If he can transform his serve into a weapon, it could be the final piece of the puzzle to unlock his full potential.
No Ferrero? No Problem—Alcaraz Trusts His Team
At the Rotterdam Open, Alcaraz is without his main coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, but he remains fully confident in his backup team, led by Samuel López.
“I believe the work they are doing behind the scenes is very important for me.”
“As I have said many times, the more comfortable I feel off the court, the better I perform on it.”
The bond within his Spanish team is something Alcaraz values highly, though he isn’t ruling out the possibility of adding non-Spanish members in the future.
“Firstly, in terms of language, it is much better for us to communicate. Honestly, it’s not something that bothers me either. For now, it is like this. In the future, probably… we will see.”
Can Alcaraz Fix His Weaknesses in Time for a 2025 Breakthrough?
While he already has multiple Grand Slam titles, the next step for Alcaraz is domination—proving that he can stay focused, consistent, and improve his serve enough to control big matches from start to finish.
With Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev standing in his way, Alcaraz will need to close the gaps in his game if he wants to return to World No. 1 and cement his place as the face of men’s tennis.
