Carlos Alcaraz started practicing on red clay, a surface that adapts very well to his game and on which he hopes to win prestigious titles in the near future. In 2024, the Spanish ace had not particularly shone in the events before Roland Garros also due to a forearm injury.
For this problem, the former world number 1 had been forced to miss the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 and the Rome Masters 1000. Although his preparation for the second Major of the season had not been ideal, the 21-year-old from Murcia had played his best tennis in Paris by defeating his top rival Jannik Sinner in the semifinals and Alexander Zverev in the final.
The 4-time Grand Slam champion will be among the protagonists of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 next week, a tournament in which he participated only in 2022, losing immediately to Sebastian Korda. The draw was drawn today and the current world number 3 will face the winner of the match between Fabio Fognini and Francisco Cerundolo on his debut.
Alcaraz must react immediately
It is no mystery that Carlitos’ main goal is to get to the top of his shape at the French Open, where he will try to win the 5th Major title of his young career.
Speaking on Eurosport, former ATP ace Mats Wilander analyzed the Spaniard’s prospects on this surface: “Although he won in Paris last year, I’m not so convinced that red clay is the most suitable surface for his game. It would not be a surprise if Alcaraz triumphs again at Roland Garros, because he is an extraordinary player on all surfaces, but it will not be an easy feat.”
The former Swedish champion continued: “I think he will have some problems in his first tournaments on this surface, but I am convinced that he will shine in Paris. In any case, it is not easy to predict its results lately.”
Carlitos’ 2025 season has been quite up and down so far, considering that he has only won one title and suffered several surprising losses.
Tennis World USA