Carlos Alcaraz’s stardom has been nothing short of meteoric—especially after back-to-back Grand Slam wins that sent fans into a frenzy. At just 21, the Spanish prodigy has proven he’s a true force on the court, leaving everyone in awe of his raw power and skill. But as the American hard court season kicked off, a few cracks began to show in his otherwise flawless season. Alcaraz, who seemed almost untouchable, started facing unexpected struggles, and now, with the Paris Masters unfolding similarly, questions about the young star facing troubles have resurfaced.

The Spanish tennis sensation is all set to play his first match at the Paris Masters on October 29, against Nicolas Jarry. But despite the talents he possesses, the road will not be easy for the player who would be aspiring to a deep run in the tournament. And the reason? The fast conditions of the court in the tournament and Alcaraz’s inconsistencies in such situations.  

As per the latest reports, the Court Pace Index of the tournament is not just the highest of the year, but the last entire decade. There has not been a tournament with faster conditions than this year in Paris, per Punto de Break. According to the data provided by TennisTV, the CPI of the courts in the tournament would be 45.5 points and will exceed the 45-point mark. The tournament that has been closest to this speed was the Shanghai Masters in 2016, where the CPI was 44.4. This year, the fastest tournament so far was the Cincinnati Masters which registered a CPI of 42.5. Interestingly, Alcaraz has struggled immensely in such conditions. 

The 4-time Grand Slam champion has played 31 matches on the indoor hard courts, the venue similar to what will be witnessed at the Paris Masters. While he has faced only 9 defeats in these matches, he has failed to win a single title except the Next Gen ATP Finals 2021. His struggles were also witnessed during his training session in Paris where he said, “The courts are very, very fast.”

Alcaraz’s struggles on fast hardcourts were evident with his statements in Cincinnati as well. Speaking after losing to Gael Monfils in the second round, the Spaniard said, “Honestly, it was very very tough for me. I felt like it was the worst match that I ever played in my career. Couldn’t, couldn’t play, honestly.” And with Paris Masters bringing in similar situations, the trouble for Alcaraz seems to be resurfacing. Interestingly, such situations on the hard court have also compelled Alcaraz to demonstrate his unexpected traits. 

When hard-court defeat infuriated Carlos Alcaraz in Cincinnati

Carlos Alcaraz is known to be stoic and demonstrates his resilience amidst the face of adversities. But certain defeats can bring out the frustration of even the calmest of players and the one against Monfils in the Cincinnati Masters was a depiction of the same where the 21-year-old was seen extremely agitated during the match.

Alcaraz started the match with a remarkable first-set victory. However, he failed to keep the momentum intact, and after being pushed for the third set, the star player was seen furious. Alcaraz engaged in an agitated gesture after giving up on a point. The 21-year-old was seen smashing his racket several times, and eventually left it deformed. The gesture took the crowd by surprise as the young champ unleashed his rarely-discovered side.

For now, it would be crucial to see how the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jarry unfold. Can the Spaniard overcome his challenges and win remarkably? Well, only time will tell.