Carlos Alcaraz, the young Spanish tennis prodigy, is facing a critical moment in his career, and Greg Rusedski’s analysis of his situation is set to spark heated debates among fans and experts. The former British player did not hesitate to state that Alcaraz has “been playing a bit too much tennis,” suggesting that the excess competition may have contributed to his recent underwhelming performance. His comments come after a surprising defeat by 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 against Sebastian Korda in the third round of the Miami Open, where the world number one appeared, at times, without solutions to face the American opponent.
Rusedski, a respected commentator and six-time Grand Slam champion, did not hold back in criticizing Alcaraz’s schedule. The Spanish player had already seen his unbeaten streak of 16 consecutive victories come to an end in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev, raising questions about his physical and mental resilience. “He hasn’t really had a break season,” Rusedski added during his podcast Off-Court with Greg. “He played many exhibitions in America and participated in tournaments before the Australian Open, which kept him constantly competing, without a pause.”
Alcaraz, who finished the 2025 season with a memorable showdown against Jannik Sinner in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals, wasted no time and, just three weeks later, was back in action with exhibition matches. His intense schedule, which includes matches against Frances Tiafoe and Joao Fonseca, raises the question: to what extent can an excess of competitions be detrimental to an athlete?
Rusedski suggests that Alcaraz should follow the example of legends like Roger Federer, who knew how to balance his career with a more controlled schedule. “Federer was a maestro in that respect,” Rusedski said, emphasizing that the Swiss competed in only about 12 events per year, winning seven of them and staying fresh for each one. The former British player argues that Alcaraz should reduce the number of exhibitions and find time to recharge, warning that even a slight dip in performance could be enough for other players to take advantage.
With the clay season approaching, Alcaraz is scheduled to compete in the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he is defending an impressive total of 4,330 ranking points. Despite recent losses, Rusedski remains optimistic about the young player’s future. “I’m far from being worried about him,” he concluded. “He’s going to take some time to rest and will be ready to compete. For these great players, it all comes down to winning the four majors, and he has already won the first.”
As the pressure mounts and the season progresses, Alcaraz’s ability to recover and adapt to the demands of the professional circuit will be crucial. With growing expectations regarding his performance on clay courts, fans and critics will be watching to see if the Spaniard can find the necessary balance to get back on his triumphant path.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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