What improvements would you like to see from Carlos Alcaraz over the next 3 years???

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

He already has some tremendous skills as a tennis player. He needs to work on his serve, needs to develop clearer strategies in each match - what else would you suggest?

I love his mental game - his ability to hit the reset button when he has lost a set. He also is really intelligent; he gives great answers that are humble, not cocky, and he's got tons of charisma. These things help.

Do you think his coaching team is a good one for him? How can they help him to play better, and to navigate the ups and downs of the tour?

I am super excited to watch his tennis career unfold! He has the potential to a truly great player!

 

[Mediterranean Might]

Serve for sure is the top priority and everything else is a distant second. Otherwise what will propel him to the top of the game is more variety and of course better fitness. We've seen how elite fitness helps keep Novak at the top of the game

 

[Kralingen]

He is already perfect. No need to change.

 

[3loudboys]

Serve first and foremost - needs a few more cheap points. Was impressed with his droppers and hand skills - so think he could develop an effective net game to add variety to his baseline power. And finally the strategic toilet break, a must for a player with top 5 aspirations.

 

[The Guru]

Serve/Physical/Shot tolerance/Defense out of the corners in that order.

 

[aldeayeah]

With a good serve and good slice, he'd be the complete package.

 

[BeatlesFan]

1. Improve serve velocity, disguise and placement

2. Stand much closer to the baseline and assume aggressive court positioning

3. Improve slice

He should keep JFC as a coach. A former #1 player, a fellow Spaniard with great movement and forehand.

 

[Adman]

If one was not enough, now it's going to be another humble bull for 2020 - 2040. Only Spaniards could produce this brand of bodybuilder tennis

 

[ibbi]

Better, more consistent serve. Better, more interesting haircut.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

1. Improve serve velocity, disguise and placement

2. Stand much closer to the baseline and assume aggressive court positioning

3. Improve slice

He should keep JFC as a coach. A former #1 player, a fellow Spaniard with great movement and forehand.

I am interested to know why you think standing closer to the baseline and assuming aggressive court positioning would help? I am genuinely interested in your thinking on it.

I felt that Shapo hasn't had the best possible coaching, and that is why I asked about Carlos's coaching team. I don't know enough about them to have a strong opinion.

I think he is already there in terms of raw talent and it is now about improving it and learning how to craft points and strategize to win more matches.

 

[tennisjedi]

Improve serve, stamina, and finishing matches quicker. It's not good to play multiple 5 setters.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

Improve serve, stamina, and finishing matches quicker. It's not good to play multiple 5 setters.

I think people are too hung up on this - he's 18, when you are that young you can bounce back so much easier. I think he will be fine for tonight's match. As he gets older I would agree with what you are saying though.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

So I was wrong about his fitness after the two long five set matches. Sometimes I like a player so much I lose perspective. But I do think his team didn't expect him to do so well at the USO so some of the scheduling, Winston-Salem right before the USO, was as a result of thinking he would only make it at most to the third round.

I think his mental attitude and intelligence will make a huge difference. I have really liked his press conferences - they are full of positivity rather than woe is me. He knows he needs to make improvements and I see a willingness to make them.

 

[Lleytonstation]

So I was wrong about his fitness after the two long five set matches. Sometimes I like a player so much I lose perspective. But I do think his team didn't expect him to do so well at the USO so some of the scheduling, Winston-Salem right before the USO, was as a result of thinking he would only make it at most to the third round.

I think his mental attitude and intelligence will make a huge difference. I have really liked his press conferences - they are full of positivity rather than woe is me. He knows he needs to make improvements and I see a willingness to make them.

Sour ending, but legit reason to hype him a bit. Hopefully in a few years he is making a splash consistently.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I am interested to know why you think standing closer to the baseline and assuming aggressive court positioning would help? I am genuinely interested in your thinking on it.

Because it helps every player. Taking the ball early robs your opponent of time, allows you to get to net quicker, makes the drop shot more effective and imposing your aggression on the other player. Watch Fed or Agassi stradling the baseline and taking the ball on its upward bounce, that immediately puts more pressure on your opponent. However, it takes great hand-eye coordination and talent to do this routinely, but I think Carlos has the talent.

 

[InsideOut900]

Because it helps every player. Taking the ball early robs your opponent of time, allows you to get to net quicker, makes the drop shot more effective and imposing your aggression on the other player. Watch Fed or Agassi stradling the baseline and taking the ball on its upward bounce, that immediately puts more pressure on your opponent. However, it takes great hand-eye coordination and talent to do this routinely, but I think Carlos has the talent.

That's a strategy for faster courts. A nice to have thing.

It's not always ideal to take the ball early on clay and slow, high bouncing HC.

 

[Checkmate]

Make Round of 16 of Garros Roland 2022

 

[Red Rick]

Fitness and court speed. Also hit harder.

I want 2011 Djokovic vibes baby, nothing of that well rounded good serving crap.

Give me 80/45 game stats any day

 

[DjokoLand]

Well everything too be fair. The best thing about him is that while he does have weaknesses that aren’t that glaring and for 18 he has so much potential and time to improve, his improvement doesn’t have to be drastic just steady and he will be a top player

 

[uscwang]

Play with guts like Nadal and Djokovic.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

Well everything too be fair. The best thing about him is that while he does have weaknesses that aren’t that glaring and for 18 he has so much potential and time to improve, his improvement doesn’t have to be drastic just steady and he will be a top player

I agree with this. I know he will do the work and if can stay healthy he will be around for a very long time to come.

 

[tex123]

He already has some tremendous skills as a tennis player. He needs to work on his serve, needs to develop clearer strategies in each match - what else would you suggest?

I love his mental game - his ability to hit the reset button when he has lost a set. He also is really intelligent; he gives great answers that are humble, not cocky, and he's got tons of charisma. These things help.

Do you think his coaching team is a good one for him? How can they help him to play better, and to navigate the ups and downs of the tour?

I am super excited to watch his tennis career unfold! He has the potential to a truly great player!

Coaching team is fine with Ferrero. I'd like him to spend some time at Rafa Nadal Academy with Toni. He should also cut down some unforced errors. Many of his forehands when he cranks it up crash into the net. You've already mentioned the serve. Other than that, he's already there.