Carlos Alcaraz, once a rising star who catapulted to World No. 1 at just 19, now faces a daunting challenge. His meteoric rise in 2022, marked by victories at two Masters 1000s events, the Miami Open, Madrid Open, and his maiden Grand Slam at the US Open, set high expectations. Last year, he took it a step further with his dominant performance that won the French Open title and Wimbledon! However, coming into 2025, the pressure to overtake Jannik Sinner has taken its toll. Alcaraz’s candid admission of feeling overwhelmed by these expectations has surprised many, including former American players.

While Sinner navigates his doping controversy, expectations for the World No. 2 and No. 3 have soared. The Italian No.1’s dominance since October 2024, including an Australian Open title just before the ban, made him a force to be reckoned with. But his absence appeared as a chance to overtake him during his suspension from February 9 to May 4. However, it was all too much for Alcaraz. “A lot of people are asking me, or are telling me, that I have the chance to become number one if Jannik isn’t playing,” he said in Monte Carlo.

This candid admission “surprised” the 2018 Wimbledon semifinalist, John Isner, who asked the hosts of the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast for their opinion. He noted, “I love that he is opening up about it, but as we all know, he and Sascha, Alexander Zverev did not do themselves or have not done themselves any favors with the suspension that Sinner is on right now.” Steve Johnson agreed, saying, “Yes, super surprised.” He empathized with Carlos, noting that his openness was risky since many athletes hide their nerves to avoid giving opponents an edge.

Johnson once faced a brutal reality check when Jannik defeated him at the 2019 Rome Open as a 17-year-old. So he knows a thing or two about the pressure that Carlos is talking about. He added, “I like the fact that he does open up about it because it gives us an insight into what he has been feeling the last few months or the last few tournaments, at least. Struggling with his tennis, maybe the highs and lows, and not doing so well during the sunshine double here in the States.”

After Jannik’s suspension was established, Carlos won a title in Rotterdam but struggled in Qatar, Indian Wells, and Miami. He now trails Jannik by over 3,500 points, making the task of catching up to the Italian and the World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who is still 1000 points away, a lot harder. But Alcaraz is not alone in his thoughts. Even Zverev is feeling the pressure after the Australian Open finals. “I didn’t really have time to process what happened,” said the German, who is the top seed in Monte Carlo. Like Carlos, Sascha has also faced scrutiny for his form lately.

Following his Sunshine Double exits, in post-match press conferences, Alcaraz usually gave standard answers, often saying that his opponent just played better than him. But Steve Johnson noted a difference in his candor time. He said, “We don’t often get from athletes in the media, where it’s a lot of cookie-cutter answers – ‘I got to try harder,’ ‘I’m going to go back to the drawing board’ but I like this from Carlos.” To him, this openness made Carlos more relatable to his fans.

Now heading into the Monte-Carlo Masters, Alcaraz is looking to focus on himself and his form. It’s not been easy, but he’s keeping his head high. While expectations from him might continue to soar, what can we expect from him as he enters the clay season?

French former pro Giles Simon backs Carlos Alcaraz despite criticism for his inconsistency

Carlos Alcaraz has had an amazing career in professional tennis at just 21, with four Grand Slam titles and a world number one ranking under his belt. Yet, he’s one of the most criticized players on the men’s tour. The former world No. 6 Giles Simon put it bluntly: “The problem with this type of player is that they have a lot of attention, so in the end, every time we have big expectations for them. He won four Slams, and it’s crazy at his age. People are tough. It’s unbelievable what he has achieved already, and he will achieve much more than he did. Every time someone like him is losing, we make it a big deal, as he’s supposed to win everything. I don’t believe he’s this kind of person. He is a player where we know what he has in the racket, we know what he is able to do.”

Simon continued, highlighting the unfair pressure on Alcaraz: “Everybody in the end likes him, and when he’s not winning, we are disappointed and we put it on him – and I think it’s unfair.“

Despite this, Alcaraz’s stats are impressive, with a 78.9% win rate this season, second only to Jack Draper’s 81.3%. Mats Wilander even notes that this “inconsistent” player can still “pull off miracles” as he gears up for the 2025 French Open.

As he prepares to face Francisco Cerundolo at the Monte Carlo Masters on April 8, the buzz is electric. Can Alcaraz shake off the nerves and make a deep run in Monte Carlo? Share your thoughts in the comments below!