Carlos Alcaraz told he has ‘improved very little’ in harsh verdict from Grand Slam winner

Ewan West 15 Apr 2026 11:30 AM

Carlos Alcaraz looks on

Italian tennis great Adriano Panatta has claimed that Carlos Alcaraz has improved “very little” as he issued a harsh verdict on the Spanish star.

Alcaraz was beaten 7-6(5), 6-3 by his biggest rival, Jannik Sinner, in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters last week.

The 22-year-old’s defeat ended his 22-week streak as the world No 1, with Sinner replacing him in top spot for the first time since November.

Alcaraz holds a 21-3 record in 2026, having won his first 16 matches of the season as he triumphed at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open before suffering his first defeat in the Indian Wells semi-finals.

He was then upset by Sebastian Korda in the third round at the Miami Open prior to his appearance in Monte Carlo.

The seven-time major champion is currently competing at the Barcelona Open — an ATP 500 tournament where he is chasing his third title.

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Panatta, who won the 1976 French Open, did not hold back when discussing Alcaraz after the Monte Carlo final.

“All things considered, we’re back to square one. How much has Alcaraz improved? In my opinion, very little,” Panatta was quoted as saying by We Love Tennis.

“Were his statements that everyone against him plays like [Roger] Federer helpful? No, not at all.”

The former world No 4 also questioned Alcaraz’s recent purchase of a luxury yacht.

“Is it really useful, at 22, to buy a $9million yacht? At that age, a young tennis player that strong should only be thinking about one thing… how to get stronger,” Panatta asserted.

Speaking on Italian channel Rai 2, Panatta assessed: “It was a beautiful final [in Monte Carlo], difficult to play because of the wind.

“I know that court well and I know the whirlwind it creates. That’s why there were many errors, but also some wonderful points. Sinner and Alcaraz are two players who play at a much higher level than anyone else.

“Sinner won thanks to his determination, mental strength, and daily work to improve. This boy perhaps has a little less technical ability than Alcaraz, but he is so strong mentally that he can bring this quality to every match.

“For this reason, the Spaniard must always play at 100%, or he will only have to drop by 5% and not be able to prevail.”