Carlos Alcaraz’s evolution explained as his coach reveals ‘clear identity’

Carlos Alcaraz has taken another big step to achieving his pre-season objective and the man who steered him to his latest title has highlighted some of the technical and mental elements that he has improved.

Team Alcaraz made tweaks to the four-time Grand Slam winner’s service motion during the off-season while they also opted to modify his Babolat Pure Aero 98 tennis racket.

He now plays with a heavier racket as five grams were added to the neck in order to add some weight to his shots and two tournaments in it is already paying off as he won the Rotterdam Open.

Samuel Lopez joined Alcaraz’s coaching team in late 2024 and he accompanied the world No 3 during the trip to the Netherlands with Juan Carlos Ferrero staying behind in Spain.

There is no doubt that the 21-year-old’s game is evolving and that was noticeable at the ATP 500 event as he won his maiden indoor title.

“There are some technical improvements that were already seen in Australia with the serve or the return. In tennis you always evolve technically, but above all the evolution must be at a mental level,” Lopez told Eurosport Spain.

“At a level of concentration, of being yourself, of having a clear identity. Die with your boots on. Don’t be afraid of losing, but if you lose, let it be playing as you play and convinced of what you do.”

Alcaraz’s Rotterdam Open title was his first since he won the China Open last October as he finished the 2024 season with early exits from the Paris Masters and ATP Finals.

He started 2025 with a run to the quarter-final of the Australian Open before winning his 17th trophy last week.

One key aspect of Alcaraz’s game has always been his ability to play with freedom, but of course in recent years the pressure to win has gone up and that also means he sometimes struggles to “be himself” on court.

Alcaraz showed signs of frustration when he lost a set against Hubert Hurkacz in the semi-final and again against Alex de Minaur in the final.

But the team are happy with Alcaraz expressing himself.

Lopez added: “We have put a lot of emphasis on him being himself. Being very clear about what he has to do, his routines, his attitude, being above everything. Worrying a lot about that and not so much about tennis, and from there, building Carlos Alcaraz. He is achieving it.

“It is one of the objectives we set ourselves in the pre-season. Things are not easy, but we have taken another step this week. We have to continue along this line. He is not at an advanced age, because he is very young, but he has some tennis experiences in which he has to get to know himself more and more.”

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Although Ferrero did not travel to the Netherlands, it remained a “team effort” as he still had a lot of input.

“I have been talking to Juan Carlos every day before the matches,” Lopez said. “He gave me tips about each player, gave me advice about Carlos, etc…

“He has been with Carlos for seven years and knows him much more than I do. After the final we shared this title with him and we reminded him that he has already surpassed him in titles, in addition to having won here, where Juan Carlos lost the final to [Lleyton] Hewitt [in 2004].”