Former US Open winner Andy Roddick raised questions about Carlos Alcaraz’s upcoming performance after the Spaniard’s underwhelming performance at the 2026 Miami Open. Alcaraz kicked off his 2026 year at the Australian Open, securing his seventh Grand Slam title.
The Spanish tennis star bested Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5, and became the youngest man in history to win seven Grand Slam titles and the career Grand Slam. He further continued his dominance at the Qatar Open after defeating Arthur Fils in the final round. However, his performance declined at the Sunshine Double.
The 22-year-old was forced to conclude his run at the Indian Wells Masters after a defeat against Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal round. Days later, he delivered a more underwhelming performance at the Miami Open, with a second-round exit. Sebastian Korda bested him in three sets. Following the inconsistent campaign, Alcaraz will enter the clay court season as the defending champion at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Roddick expressed his concerns about how things might turn out for Alcaraz and his coach, Jaun Carlos Ferrero. He stated that people give Alcaraz and his coach, Ferrero, credit for winning the first Grand Slam of the year while forgetting the mediocre outings at the Sunshine Double. He also added that if Alcaraz had lost at the Australian Open, the conversation would have been different.
“If he doesn’t win Australia on the heels of Ferrero and then this happens, it’s a very different conversation if he loses one match in Australia. He didn’t, but it’s like the what-if game never ends, and he won there, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Is your coach there for your best tennis, or is your coach there for your valleys and raising the floor?” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz will further compete at the Monte Carlo Masters, Barcelona Open, Madrid Open, and Italian Open, which are the lead-up events for Roland Garros.
Rafael Nadal Backs Carlos Alcaraz As The Latter Receives Criticism For Exiting Sunshine Double Without Victories
Contrary to Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal showed his support to Carlos Alcaraz after the young Spaniard fell short of winning at the Sunshine Double. In an interview with the media, Nadal highlighted Alcaraz’s feats and unparalleled skills, while suggesting that he doesn’t have to win all tournaments in the year.
“I mean, when he’s just come off winning the Australian Open, he’s won seven Grand Slams, he’s No. 1 in the world… So, what? Is he supposed to win all the matches in a year?” Nadal said. “That’s never going to happen. So there’s your answer. Are we really going to worry about two defeats? I don’t think so. That doesn’t make sense, and we shouldn’t demand more from him.”
The Monte Carlo Masters will kick off on April 5, 2026.
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