Carlos Alcaraz told he lacks ‘conviction’ as consistency prediction is made by former star
Former American ATP players Steve Johnson and John Isner have discussed Carlos Alcaraz’s consistency and identified an attribute they feel the Spaniard is missing.
Alcaraz lost 3-6, 6-3, 4-6 to Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open ATP 500 tournament last week.
The 21-year-old was leading 4-2 in the deciding set and had a point to go up a double break, but he lost four straight games against the 23-year-old Czech.
The defeat ended a seven-match winning streak for Alcaraz — a run that featured his maiden indoor title at the 500 event in Rotterdam
“Honestly, I don’t know what I could have done better,” said the world No 3 in his press conference. “I have to give credit to him as well, because when he was down, especially in the third set, he didn’t give up.
“He was returning pretty well, really aggressively, no mistakes, or almost no mistakes.”
Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, Johnson weighed in on Alcaraz letting a commanding lead slip away against Lehecka.
“I don’t know. I feel we got very spoiled over the last 15 to 20 years watching Roger, Rafa and Novak and then Wawrinka, Murray, Del Potro, Tsonga, Berdych. When they get a lead they close the door,” the former world No 21 assessed.
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“We just haven’t seen that with conviction from Alcaraz over the last couple of years. I believe his top-end tennis is better than anyone when he is playing his best but his mid-range, every day, put on your hard hat and go to work can fluctuate from time to time. It showed, especially in this match.
“He did a really good job, wasn’t playing his best tennis, has a 4-2 lead in the third to go up double break and then, about seven and a half minutes later, he has lost serve twice and the match is over. It is something we haven’t seen from those top guys.
“When Roger got a lead, the door is closed, it’s over. When Rafa got a lead, it’s over. I just think his everyday game sometimes fluctuates too much for somebody when he is at is best is the best player in the world.”
Isner, a former world No 8 and Miami Open champion, argued Alcaraz is likely still a long way from reaching his peak as he backed the four-time Grand Slam winner to become more consistent.
“I don’t think this is what we are going to see for the next five to eight years,” he predicted.
“It is easy to forget that he is still only 21 years old. His best tennis is, you can argue in all likelihood, is five years from now.
“He hasn’t even reached his peak. He is still so young and has so much maturing to do even though he is so ridiculously good and has won all these Grand Slams already at 21 years old.
“I think he will shore that up and become more consistent. It is crazy to think that he has not even come close to reaching his highest level as a tennis player.
“This year and maybe next year he might have some inconsistent results and some losses which make you scratch your head a bit like Lehecka in Doha, but I think he will fix that and will be fine going forward.”
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