Carlos Alcaraz “doesn’t have a plan B” and is “f***ing horrendous” when playing badly, according to former WTA star turned broadcaster Andrea Petkovic.
Alcaraz was one of the most successful players of 2024, with his year highlighted by winning his first French Open title before successfully defending his crown at Wimbledon.
However, despite also winning the Indian Wells Open and the China Open, the 21-year-old sometimes struggled across a patchy season.
Most notably, the Spaniard was stunned by Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the second round of the US Open.
Alcaraz also failed to make the last four of a Masters 1000 event outside of Indian Wells, suffering surprise losses to the likes of Gael Monfils in Cincinnati and Ugo Humbert in Bercy.
Much like Alcaraz, world No 1 Jannik Sinner also lifted two major titles in 2024 but finished the season almost 5,000 points ahead of the world No 3 in the rankings.
The Spaniard also finds himself behind Alexander Zverev, who ended the season as the world No 2 despite winning only two titles compared to Alcaraz’s four.
Speaking on The Rennae Stubbs Podcast, former world No 9 Petkovic was critical of Alcaraz for not matching the likes of Sinner and Zverev in having a ‘plan B’ when not at his best.
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She said: “The one quibble I have with Carlos is what the others don’t have.
“Zverev doesn’t have [the issue], even Taylor [Fritz] doesn’t have, Jannik definitely doesn’t have, Novak [Djokovic] definitely doesn’t have. When Carlos is bad, he is f***ing horrendous.
“He doesn’t have a plan B – because you are still Carlos Alcaraz, who has won four Slams. But he then can’t make a ball anymore, he’s double-faulting, he’s missing, he doesn’t even get into a rally.
“So when Carlos is bad, he’s so bad. And at the highest level, he’s probably the best player.
“He was 3-0 against Jannik Sinner, who was the best player this season. At his low level, he can still lose to Jakub Mensik, and Jannik Sinner would not lose to Jakub Mensik probably.”
After a topsy-turvy 2024 season, Alcaraz heads into 2025 looking to make history.
Victory at the Australian Open would see the 21-year-old not only lift a fifth Grand Slam title but would also see him become the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam.
Should the Spaniard become the sixth man in the Open Era to complete the feat, he would break Rafael Nadal’s ‘youngest’ record of 24 years and three months, set at the 2010 US Open.
No man has completed the Career Slam since Djokovic did so at the French Open in 2016.
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