Alcaraz the exception to standard height for a great tennis player

[Dartagnan64]

There's a declining ratio of speed to height with an ever increasing ratio of serve power to height. Since Speed and Serve Power are two very important aspects to men's tennis, it's a reason why tennis is one of the most egalitarian of sports. You can win with heights anywhere from 5'8" to 6'8". But there seems to be a sweet spot around 6'1"
Alcaraz is a nudge below but not so far that he's going to fail. The only problem is that speed goes before serve power, which therefore behooves him to continue developing his serve if he wants longevity.

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Maybe he has long arms for his height. Reach could be that of a taller man.

 

[Holmes]

Pretty standard for the majority of tennis history. In fact, quite tall.

Hopefully we'll return to a time when height isn't a prerequisite for being a slam winner.

Your optimism is encouraging if not grounding. The era of bazooka rackets and poly strings doesn't seem to be coming to an end anytime soon sadly.

 

[abmk]

Borg, Mac, Connors, Agassi were 5'11" (or 5'10" in Connors' case)

 

[Topspin_80]

Their shoulders are about the same level. Djokovics height is flattered by his unnaturally elongated head.

Really, really long neck!

 

[Topspin_80]

And neck but both of those count as real height. Take another look at their shoulders though. Draw a line across. Djokovic's are several inches higher.

They do count for height, but they are useless for serving.

For serving, shoulders and arm length are fundamental.

 

[Bambooman]

They do count for height, but they are useless for serving.

For serving, shoulders and arm length are fundamental.

They allow you to see your spots better, like an elevated sniper position.

 

[big ted]

he looks 6' to me.. i dont know why everyone is belittling him on here

 

[Bambooman]

he looks 6' to me.. i dont know why everyone is belittling him on here

He is if you rest the measuring stick on top of his hair. But it's the skull that counts as the real top.

 

[big ted]

He is if you rest the measuring stick on top of his hair. But it's the skull that counts as the real top.

i guess im in the minority but i think hair counts

 

[The Fedfather]

Why the feck is this forum obsessed with Alcaraz's height so much? Some weird fetish TTW posters have

The obsession with this kids height is a bit weird now..lol

I'd wager that some folks feel a bit emasculated by the success another guy is having at such an early age. And the height thing is a way to try and boost their own perceived sense of manliness

 

[TheNachoMan]

I'd wager that some folks feel a bit emasculated by the success another guy is having at such an early age. And the height thing is a way to try and boost their own perceived sense of manliness

Yeah, I don’t get it. So what if he’s smaller? Kid is damn good and that’s all that matters. I would trade my height for his talent. lol

 

[The Fedfather]

Yeah, I don’t get it. So what if he’s smaller? Kid is damn good and that’s all that matters. I would trade my height for his talent. lol

Anyone who fights over inches - all kinds - is exposing a deep insecurity. I feel sorry tbh, because we know it's the kind of issue that our society fosters.

 

[TheNachoMan]

Anyone who fights over inches - all kinds

I see what you did there.

 

[Watch The Ball]

Carlos will do just fine , his serve was suspect but he showed in final that he can serve great under pressure. He doesn't have any weakness ,his serve is better than Nadal and will only get better.

don't think his serve is better than nadal's. nadal even as a teenager gave peak fed fits with his serve. nadal's serve is designed to be unattackable so he can employ his ground game.

 

[Topspin_80]

They allow you to see your spots better, like an elevated sniper position.

He can also use it as lightning rod.

Very useful, he can save the lives of people around him.

 

[Topspin_80]

he looks 6' to me.. i dont know why everyone is belittling him on here

Today he played mixed doubles with Masarova, who according to the WTA site is 6' 1", 186 cm, and both looked the same height.

I know Masarova is considerably taller than the average WTA player, but when she and Alcaraz were talking there was no difference of height.

 

[Soul_Evisceration]

don't think his serve is better than nadal's. nadal even as a teenager gave peak fed fits with his serve. nadal's serve is designed to be unattackable so he can employ his ground game.

Nadal rarely exceeded 115MPH at Wimbledon while Alcaraz served 121 MPH on average vs Djokovic.

Nadal's serve became a monster only at US Open 2010.

We'll agree to disagree with the Nadal Serve being better than Alcaraz.

 

[Watch The Ball]

Nadal rarely exceeded 115MPH at Wimbledon while Alcaraz served 121 MPH on average vs Djokovic.

Nadal's serve became a monster only at US Open 2010.

We'll agree to disagree with the Nadal Serve being better than Alcaraz.

it ain't about power it's about efficacy. nadal's serve is not even consistently exploitable by djoker the goat at return at rg cuz he gets so much torque/spin on it making it a nightmare to control. why else did fed have so much trouble with nadal's serve. the lefty nadal slice was killing peak fed over and over. we saw how djoker handled alcaraz's serve at rg, he definitely wouldn't do that to nadal's serve.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Does Alcaraz show that the height trend in tennis has valid exceptions?

The last 30 years the very top players have been in the 6 ft 1 to 6ft 3 range (Sampras, Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray ). Alcaraz looks to be a tad under 6ft. Is he an example that height isn’t as important as we thought?

No he is almost as tall as Nadal and Federer, delete your thread

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Really, really long neck!

Maybe he did human growth hormone to take that leap from 2010 to 2011 cause hes a pencilhead and a giraffe neck

 

[Topspin_80]

Maybe he did human growth hormone to take that leap from 2010 to 2011 cause hes a pencilhead and a giraffe neck

I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Gary Duane]

That's at least 2" of difference in their height.

But not in their shoulders. A longer neck does not give you a serving advantage.

 

[Midaso240]

He's a wee bit shorter, but I'm not worried about him. He's got the power of anyone a few inches taller, he'll probably never be one of the 5 best servers on tour or anything, but as long as it's decent, it should be fine. I mean, he's won a couple of times vs Novak who is probably the greatest returner ever

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

But not in their shoulders. A longer neck does not give you a serving advantage.

Yes it does it lets you see a clear angle down into the service box. LOL!

 

[NeutralFan]

don't think his serve is better than nadal's. nadal even as a teenager gave peak fed fits with his serve.

Lol, okay, son!

 

[Gary Duane]

Yes it does it lets you see a clear angle down into the service box. LOL!

That made me laugh.

 

[Watch The Ball]

Lol, okay, son!

can't argue with that cuz fed lost those early matches against a teenager and couldn't take advantage of his serve time and time again.

 

[Rosstour]

Why the feck is this forum obsessed with Alcaraz's height so much? Some weird fetish TTW posters have

Literally the stupidest thing I've ever seen

 

[NeutralFan]

Literally the stupidest thing I've ever seen

Height or rather lack of height is certainly a big factor in tennis though.

 

[Shaolin]

ugh, this height sh*t again.

Maybe we can just have a sticky at the top of the forum that says he's 5'11...wow, mind-blowing. Its not like he's 4'11.

Not many years ago a 35 year old 5'11 (or shorter) Agassi made the final of the US Open and the big news was that he was 35, not his height.

Now its normal for a 35 year old to make a slam final. There are great players of all sizes, shapes and ages, get over it.

 

[Bambooman]

He can also use it as lightning rod.

Very useful, he can save the lives of people around him.

He's unvaccinated. Everyone knows his kill count will always be higher.

 

[Bambooman]

There are great players of all sizes, shapes and ages, get over it.

Not at the same time in the same player.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Carlos will do just fine , his serve was suspect but he showed in final that he can serve great under pressure. He doesn't have any weakness ,his serve is better than Nadal and will only get better.

I think you’ve pinpointed it.

He can be serve dominant under pressure. When you combine that with a deadly return game and his all-court sensibilities, he starts to look pretty scary.

The fact that he can clutch on serve is even more impressive given his height. He can’t just rely on serving thunderbolts, he also needs to use a lot of shape, placement and disguise.

I know we have all harped on about this a lot but he does seem little. I think he is actually a fair bit shorter than his advertised height.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Height or rather lack of height is certainly a big fact in tennis though.

Yea but theres this huge problem that Alcaraz is only one inch shorter than Federer and Nadal!

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

ugh, this height sh*t again.

Maybe we can just have a sticky at the top of the forum that says he's 5'11...wow, mind-blowing. Its not like he's 4'11.

Not many years ago a 35 year old 5'11 (or shorter) Agassi made the final of the US Open and the big news was that he was 35, not his height.

Now its normal for a 35 year old to make a slam final. There are great players of all sizes, shapes and ages, get over it.

He's taller than Agassi and only 1 inch shorter than Federer Nadal

 

[Curtennis]

If Alcaraz is under 6’ then Djokovic is not 6’ 2”

Djokovic looks several inches taller here. Not sure what you’re looking at.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

I know we have all harped on about this a lot but he does seem little. I think he is actually a fair bit shorter than his advertised height.

Nope seeing him next to many other ppl of known heights in photos its clear he's 6'0"

 

[Subway Tennis]

Why the feck is this forum obsessed with Alcaraz's height so much? Some weird fetish TTW posters have

I’m guilty of doing this. It’s a great thing imo that he is doing what he is doing at his height. I never thought it would happen again.

I hope smaller people are getting a kick out of this. They should feel proud that Alcaraz blew up the myth.

A lot of us said that shorter people are doomed in tennis since the Big 4 era and this explosion in the height average of major winners, but Carlitos proved as all wrong

 

[Subway Tennis]

Nope seeing him next to many other ppl of known heights in photos its clear he's 6'0"

Very interesting! Maybe I need to recalibrate.

 

[NeutralFan]

Yea but theres this huge problem that Alcaraz is only one inch shorter than Federer and Nadal!

That's what posters have been deabting and failed to reach the consensus.

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Very interesting! Maybe I need to recalibrate.

Watching him vs Goffin highlights he looks like a giant lmao

 

[crimson87]

Álvarez can keep growing though. He is still young.

 

[Rosstour]

Height or rather lack of height is certainly a big factor in tennis though.

Bro, anything between 5'10 and 6'3 is literally where all the GOATs are

Obviously his movement is excellent, that's the key

 

[Aestheticsaboveallelse]

Bro, anything between 5'10 and 6'3 is literally where all the GOATs are

Obviously his movement is excellent, that's the key

The key is also that he's 6'0" which is still pretty tall even tho its not tall by professional sports standards