© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
Boris Becker suggests Carlos Alcaraz may have become too comfortable in his game after winning Wimbledon while his competition was trying to find ways to beat the Spaniard. Alcaraz, who admitted at the start of the grass season that he wasn’t setting big expectations for himself, ended up winning back-to-back titles at the Queen’s Club and Wimbledon.
After Wimbledon, Alcaraz had six titles in 10 tournaments played in 2023. In the remainder of the year, Alcaraz appeared in seven more tournaments but didn’t win a single title. “Why is that (Alcaraz’s dip in form)? Duelling with Djokovic, becoming No 1 in the world and winning Wimbledon for the first time – maintaining this level is the most difficult thing in tennis.
Anyone can have a good tournament or a good year from time to time, but maintaining that level over the years is the real challenge. My favourite saying in this context is: ‘The locker room never sleeps’. It means that the other players have realised how you have to play against Alcaraz to have a chance against him.
That’s what happened. Other players have developed and Alcaraz hasn’t,” Becker said on Eurosport Germany’s tennis podcast Das Gelbe vom Ball.
Becker: Alcaraz’s coach will make some changes
Alcaraz had an absolutely outstanding first half of the year but then his form and results dipped in the second part.
Becker thinks Alcaraz’s team will use this as a big learning experience and the German tennis legend also expects coach Juan Carlos Ferrero to make some changes in the offseason. “He continues to play fantastic tennis.
I love watching him play tennis at its best with his footwork, his variation, his serve and his forehand. But the top players have adapted to this and know how to counter it. I’m convinced that Alcaraz will now train something new or different with Juan Carlos Ferrero in the winter and improve.
Their task is to further develop his strengths. And I’m also convinced that we’ll see a very strong Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open 2024,” Becker said.
