Carlos Alcaraz’s ascent to tennis stardom is a narrative that borders on the fantastical. Picture a youth from the small town of El Palmar, Spain, who not only disrupted the sport’s established order but also etched his name into history by becoming the youngest male and first teenage male in the Open Era to claim the world number one singles ranking, all at the tender age of 19. Now, in his seventh year as a professional, the 21-year-old boasts an impressive four Grand Slam titles. “Staying at the very top for 16 or 17 years, fighting for big titles season after season, dealing with the pressure, with injuries, with everything, that’s extraordinary and very few can do it,” Alcaraz had perfectly described his journey. Meanwhile, two-time French Open finalist, Alex Corretja believes Alcaraz still needs time to…

…adjust to life on the ATP Tour. During a recent interview with TNT Sports, the former world number one, Alex Corretja shared, “For me, everything is very abrupt with Alcaraz. Everything happened so quickly. He is still searching and trying to understand who he is, he is still figuring out what the circuit is and what life is on it. Alcaraz has become a world star in the media and, therefore, has a very difficult weight on his young shoulders.“

Is the pressure Corretja mentioned the crux of Alcaraz’s 2025 challenges? Though “struggle” might be a strong word for Alcaraz, his season hasn’t been without its hurdles. His 15-4 record is undeniably strong, and he did secure a title in Rotterdam. However, he fell short at the Australian Open and the Middle East swing, and his Indian Wells semifinal loss to Jack Draper has raised eyebrows. While these results are still impressive, they’ve fallen short of the exceptionally high standards Alcaraz has set. So, the question lingers: what’s the missing piece for Alcaraz right now?

Alex further added, “Yes, he wins titles. If he earns money, we all know that he’s privileged. But the toll that comes with that, to become someone so powerful for the brands, for the fans, for everything that comes with it, now he has a series that has been made for him, a documentary, all the exhibitions, all this has a wear and tear.” According to Corretja, Carlos Alcaraz has already done too much for his age, but for now, finding a perfect balance should be his key priority.

Last year, after an unexpected early exit from the US Open, Carlos Alcaraz expressed, “Right now, I feel like I’ve taken steps backwards mentally and I don’t understand why…I’m not doing well mentally, I’m not strong.” However, Corretja countered, offering a more optimistic perspective. “With all the affection and love I have for Carlos, I do not agree with him… He hasn’t taken any steps back, he has taken a thousand steps forward in the season. This is just a step on the road.”

Ups and downs in the energy level and performances are quite normal in season, however, according to him, one needs to be a bit careful before pushing it to the limit. Highlighting his run during the French Open, Wimbledon, and the Olympics, Corretja said, “More than a mental breakdown, it’s more than the body has a limit and Alcaraz has pushed it to the limit.” 

In January 2025, Corretja was seen taking a jibe at Carlos Alcaraz’s critics. Highlighting their comments on Alcaraz’s performance in the 2024 season, he said, “The criticisms of Alcaraz make me laugh, but they are also enough to make me cry. They are a clear demonstration of the little knowledge we have of things other than our own and the vehemence we have in giving our opinions on them.”

Even when Alcaraz broke down in tears after losing the final match against Novak Djokovic in the Paris Olympics, it was Corretja who consoled the youngster by putting an arm around his “young shoulder.” 

As of this year, Alcaraz was in search of a three-peat at the 2025 Indian Wells Open, but he was defeated by Jack Draper in a three-set thriller. What did the Spaniard say after that disappointing exit from one of his favorite tournaments?

Carlos Alcaraz realizes his big mistake at Indian Wells Open

Carlos Alcaraz was bidding to become the first player born in 1991 or later to three-peat at an ATP Tour event. If he had won the title at the Indian Wells this year, then he’d become the third man after Roger Federer (2004-06) and Novak Djokovic (2014-16) to win three consecutive singles titles at the event. So, there was already a lot of pressure on his shoulder.

Just before the start of this tournament, he said, “I’m here to take that pressure. I will try not to think about it. I will try just to enjoy it.” But Draper shattered his dream! What did Alcaraz say after this match, though?

Well, after this match he made an interesting revelation by saying, “Obviously, I wanted to win the third in a row, but I can’t pretend to win every match. I am not as upset about not getting the third one in a row. I am upset about myself, about the way that I approached the match, the way that I felt during the whole day, that I couldn’t calm down myself.“

Highlighting the scoreline  (1-6,6-0,4-6) in this match, he added, “That’s, for me, the most disappointed thing that I’m feeling right now because (it) is probably one of the worst sets that I have played in my whole career, the first set.” According to his self-analysis, “I was more worried about his (Draper’s) level, his game, than myself.”

However, Indian Wells is now a past thing and we know Alcaraz is someone who always learns something from his failures. Can he come up with a better performance in Miami? Well, the last time when he lost in the SF of the Indian Wells (in 2022), he won the title in Miami. Can we witness a similar pattern this year?