Back in January on his “Served” podcast, Andy Roddick praised Carlos Alcaraz as a once-in-a-generation talent in tennis, and rightfully so. “It’s kind of weird,” Roddick said, “because he is this all world talent who won two majors to bring his tally to four by the time he is 21,” After all, Alcaraz wrapped up 2024 ranked 3rd with a stellar 54-13 record, highlighted by a maiden French Open victory and a Wimbledon title defense. Now, as chatter swirls around his recent coaching team changes, even after registering a win at Monte Carlo, Roddick is once again at the Spanish prodigy’s rescue. After all, even tennis legends have stumbled in the past.

The 21-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz displayed sheer tactical brilliance in his comeback win over Francisco Cerundolo, turning a shaky start into a statement victory: 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the 3rd round of the ATP Masters 1000. A key turning point came as Alcaraz adjusted his return position after the 1st set, leading to a striking 44 percent jump in 1st-serve returns landed. The sharp shift paid off in just one hour and 37 minutes. And in the aftermath, former US champion Andy Roddick chimed in, praising his adaptability and calling the doubts premature amidst coaching shake-up.

On the ‘Tennis Channel‘, the question arose whether Carlos Alcaraz should part ways with his longtime coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, especially given his inconsistent form of late. Andy Roddick didn’t hold back, sharply responding with signature bluntness, “Do you guys remember the crazy times before the Big Three when players didn’t make the finals every week. Like honestly, we have to reset expectations and one of Annacone’s former charges Pete Sampras, as great as he was, winner of 14 Majors, six year-end No. 1’s, he would lose third round sometimes. He just would. He would win two Majors a year instead of three.”

The American further highlighted that Carlos Alcaraz has already reached an absurd level of success for someone his age, and firmly shut down the growing calls for a coaching overhaul: “We have to reset expectations. Carlos Alcaraz already has more Majors than Andy Murray, he’s halfway towards icons like Connors, Agassi. It’s just absurd what he’s done. We need to reset a little bit and anyone calling for a coaching change doesn’t know anything about coaching.”

Alcaraz’s recent success marked a significant improvement from his last outing at the same event in 2022, where he fell in three sets to Sebastian Korda. And while debates around his coaching setup continue, despite the American veteran’s bold defense, Alcaraz is shifting the spotlight back to the court. Reflecting on his performance against Cerundolo, the Spaniard acknowledged the tough opening set but praised the tactical changes he made mid-match.

“Didn’t start well” Carlos Alcaraz shares his opinion after the match against Cerundolo

Carlos Alcaraz kicked off the new season with sky-high ambitions, most notably his desire to clinch the elusive career GS by conquering the Down Under. However, those dreams were halted in the QF by none other than Novak Djokovic, whose clinical performance shut down the Spaniard’s title hopes in Melbourne. Refusing to let the loss define him, the Spaniard bounced back remarkably, storming to his 1st-ever indoor hard court title at the Rotterdam Open, proving that his hunger for greatness hadn’t dimmed one bit.

Yet, just as the momentum seemed to be on his side, inconsistency reared its head for the 21-year-old. A QF loss in Qatar, a missed opportunity to complete a three-peat at Indian Wells, and another early stumble in Miami dampened his rhythm. And, right after a tricky win over the lively Argentine, he now shared his game overview.

Talking to the press after the Monte Carlo showdown, Carlos added, “I didn’t start well. I made a lot of mistakes and I let him play inside the court, dominating the points. After the first set, I just knew that I had to do something else, play more aggressively, and play my own tennis: drop shots, going to the net, and more aggression”.

With the Spaniard now lock horns against German Daniel Altmaier for the first time, do you see Carlos winning the match and make it to the last eight with ease?