Former Italian tennis stars Paolo Bertolucci and Adriano Panatta recently analyzed Carlos Alcaraz’s struggles, particularly after his disappointing quarterfinal loss to Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open. The defeat delayed the young Spaniard’s chances of completing a Career Grand Slam and raised concerns about his ability to handle high-pressure matches.
Panatta highlighted Djokovic’s mental dominance, stating that the Serbian “crushes anyone mentally,” while Alcaraz fell into the trap of playing into Djokovic’s strengths, especially as the match progressed. He acknowledged Djokovic’s greatness, saying, “Novak is a phenomenal champion, whether people like him or not is subjective.”
Bertolucci, meanwhile, drew comparisons between Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, pointing out that while both are Spanish and physically strong, Alcaraz is “a thousand miles away from Rafa in his head.” He argued that Nadal’s resilience set him apart, whereas Alcaraz failed to capitalize on key moments against Djokovic. “He should have gone up 2-1 in sets, and he probably would have won the match,” Bertolucci said.
Panatta added that Alcaraz must now reach a level where he can no longer afford to lose to Djokovic, particularly in best-of-five matches. “Even with a set tied, Djokovic is still too much for him. He needs to reach a point where he should no longer lose to Nole,” he stated.
Alcaraz, who has already secured two Grand Slam titles, remains one of the biggest young talents in tennis, but his loss in Melbourne has reignited the debate about whether he can replicate Nadal’s legendary mental toughness.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2025
LWWWWLWWWW Currently the world no.3, Carlos played his last match on the 21st of January when he surrendered to world no.6 Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-4 in the quarter of the Australian Open (draw).
This year Carlos owns a 4-1 win-loss record.
Carlos Alcaraz will compete against the world no.366 Gabi Adrian Boitan in the . In the past, they have never played each other till now in top tournaments.
The Spaniard won 17 titles in his career: 5 on hard courts, 8 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 3 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play in Rotterdam (ABN AMRO Open) on the 3rd of February and Doha (Qatar ExxonMobil Open) on the 17th of February.
Carlos Alcaraz |
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