Carlos Alcaraz, the four-time Grand Slam champion, walked into the 2025 season with eyes set on more success. But his Australian Open dreams were dashed in the quarterfinals by Novak Djokovic in a four-set defeat that exposed cracks in his armor. A fresh start awaited in Rotterdam, yet his opening match at the ABN AMRO Open was anything but smooth. Up against home favorite Botic Van de Zandschulp, Alcaraz battled through an erratic three-setter (7−6, 3–6, 6–1), flashing moments of brilliance but also alarming inconsistency. Although the Spaniard could avenge the 2024 US Open loss against the Dutch, the hard-fought win has left World No. 3 with some questions.

Is he feeling the weight of expectations? Is the magic fading? The season is long, but concerns are creeping in. His aggressive baseline play lacked its usual bite, and his movement was not as sharp. And now, a former ATP pro has weighed in on his struggles.

Nicolas Escudé, the 2001 Davis Cup champion with France, doubts Alcaraz’s form. The Spaniard, who could break open a rally with extraordinary shots, now finds himself in longer exchange. His forehand is misfiring at times and his movements are uncharacteristically static. Escude, who is now a consultant at Eurosport, said, “Carlos will have to correct a lot of things if he wants to go far in this tournament and he won’t have much time because he will quickly have high-level opponents.

Continuing further, he added, ” Before, in one shot, Carlos could put his opponent 3 meters away without him being able to react; this is no longer the case. Tonight, he made too many forehand errors again. On a lot of sequences, he played while being static while he is very effective when he is moving. So there are still adjustments to be made, that’s obvious.” 

Alcaraz ended 2024 on an uncertain footing after a historic run in the first half that saw him claim Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and an Olympic silver medal. But the second half of the season unraveled. Fatigue, injuries, and erratic form crept in, and the early losses in Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris raised alarms. Could he steady the ship in 2025? So far, the answer is murky. His Australian Open quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic exposed familiar struggles as his shot selection was questionable.

Alcaraz tried to break the Serb’s iron grip on the backhand, but his own errors mounted. The cross-court backhand? Inconsistent. His inverted forehand? Neutralized. Djokovic dictated, forcing Alcaraz into uncomfortable positions. The first match point in Rotterdam didn’t paint a powerful picture either.

But World No. 3’s rusty performance at ABN AMRO could be because of other reasons as well.

Carlos Alcaraz Echoes Growing Player Concerns Over Tennis Balls

Carlos Alcaraz’s indoor struggles are no secret. The Spaniard has been in nine indoor tournaments but no finals. Now, at Rotterdam, he’s trying to change that narrative. But his biggest challenge? It might be the ever-changing balls and conditions across the ATP Tour.

Alcaraz was spotted wearing nasal strips to help him breathe. His fans often see this. He also discussed it candidly. “ I think last year there were many injuries, many players with elbow or shoulder issues. Something needs to change. I know they will change it. Every week, practically every week, we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s complicated to adapt to them,” Alcaraz said.

He’s far from alone. Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Alex de Minaur have all voiced similar concerns. The issue? Some balls fluff up quickly.

Alcaraz is determined to adapt though. “ I had good training to adapt, but it was tough. New balls, everything seems to move very fast… and after two or three exchanges, the ball becomes very big and it’s a bit difficult to play aggressively with them. Still, I don’t want to complain about it; I feel that even so, you can show a good level of tennis,” he added.

Alcaraz next faces the winner of Andrea Vavassori vs. Félix Auger-Aliassime. But indoors remain unchartered territory for him. At Rotterdam, can he rewrite his script and win his first title indoors? What do you think?