Carlos Alcaraz has faced criticism following his quarter-final defeat to Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Australian Open, where he was unable to capitalize on the Serbian’s physical struggles. The defeat pushed back Alcaraz’s hopes of completing a Career Grand Slam, leaving the 20-year-old to reconsider his mental toughness.

Paolo Bertolucci, a former world No. 12, compared Alcaraz’s mental strength unfavorably to Rafael Nadal, stating that Alcaraz is “a thousand miles away” from matching the legendary Spaniard’s resilience on court. Bertolucci further expressed disappointment, claiming that Alcaraz should have won the match and questioned his ability to seize critical moments.

Adriano Panatta, another former tennis great, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that Alcaraz’s current level should prevent him from losing to Djokovic at Grand Slam tournaments. He stated that Alcaraz needed to reach a higher level to consistently defeat Djokovic, particularly in a best-of-five-set format.

Despite the critiques, Alcaraz still holds two Grand Slam victories over Djokovic, both at Wimbledon, though their rivalry remains evenly split. As Alcaraz aims for a Career Grand Slam, he must continue to develop his mental game if he hopes to add the Australian Open to his list of achievements.

Carlos Alcaraz in 2025

Now ranked no.3, the Spaniard played his last match on the 21^st 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).

Presently, during this year Alcaraz has an overall 4-1 record.

Carlos Alcaraz will come up against the world no.366 Gabi Adrian Boitan in the . They have never competed against each other so far on the main tour.

Carlos 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.