Carlos Alcaraz has taken his game to the next level courtesy a spectacular 2023 season so far, in which he has won 6 titles already. Having already clinched the US Open and Wimbledon titles at the age of 20, Alcaraz’s rise has made his competitors rethink about their game. Since many years, the consensus was that no player could overtake the ‘Big Three’, i.e. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
The ATP Tour has seen many talents but they either haven’t won multiple Grand Slams or sustained their success apart from winning a few titles here and there. With Alcaraz emerging as the next potential superstar of tennis who could rule it like a monopoly, his game has been looked upon as the one to follow and replicate.
Top players are following Carlos Alcaraz’s drop shot strategy but failing
One cannot help but notice that a major factor in Carlos Alcaraz being so successful is his efficient use of the drop shot. The player who benefitted the most prior to him using it was none other than Rafael Nadal. This is largely due to the fact that the drop shot is often a strategy which works on clay courts more than any other surface. However, Alcaraz seems to be have overtaken his idol and countryman in this aspect also.
Mostly players tend to go for the drop shot on their backhand and that too occasionally. However, where the World No.1 has struck out is the fact that he successfully executes the drop shot on his forehand and on a regular basis. Here is where the execution part becomes interesting.
Carlos Alcaraz pushes opponents far behind the baseline by playing some deep, fast shots which average 134 km/hour on speed according to the ATP Tour. A normal rally has shots within the 110-115 km/hour mark. Using his variety in skill, Alcaraz turns out to be a master of disguise, making the forehand drop shot hideous for his opponents to see it coming. If the opponent anticipates it well, even then the shot is successful most often since it requires them to cover usually 10.9 meters in 2.1 seconds. Only a quality sprinter can get to it, but to reach and respond with a shot that can beat Alcaraz, is next to impossible for nearly all ATP Tour players.
The placement of the shot is also critical besides the timing since it is done to the other extreme distance from that point, i.e. right in front of the net on the ad side. The Wimbledon 2023 champion also ensures that he mixes his deuce side forehand with a lot of run-around forehand drop shots, and at all different points in the rally, which also is a part of his serve plus one shot regularly.
Interestingly, since 2021 when Alcaraz’s ascendancy to the top began, many players resorted to the drop shot more often. And yet they have not found success with it, with the winning percentage in fact falling from 52.4 to 48.2 percent. This is largely also due to the fact that most of those players prefer hard courts, where they are often not taught or recommended to practice the drop shot since the surface is generally more conducive for a baseline-dominated, power game. However, Alcaraz is redefining the game in his generation by proving that the shot can be equally effective on all surfaces if the strategy is right.
Novak Djokovic reserves ultimate praise for Carlos Alcaraz
After losing the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic admitted in the post-match press conference that the defeat was a ‘hard one to swallow’. Yet, he graciously praised his opponent, calling him a perfect mix of himself, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. He was quoted as saying –
“I think people have been talking in the past 12 months or so about his game consisting of certain elements from Roger, Rafa, and myself. I would agree with that. I think he’s got basically best of all three worlds,” said Djokovic.
“He’s got this mental resilience and real maturity for someone who is 20 years old. It’s quite impressive. He’s got this Spanish bull mentality of competitiveness and fighting spirit and incredible defence that we’ve seen with Rafa over the years.
“And I think he’s got some nice sliding backhands that he’s got some similarities with my backhands. Yeah, two-handed backhands, defence, being able to adapt. I think that has been my personal strength for many years. He has it, too.
“I haven’t played a player like him ever, to be honest. Roger and Rafa have their own strengths and weaknesses. Carlos is a very complete player. Amazing adapting capabilities that I think are a key for longevity and for a successful career on all surfaces.”
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz could potentially clash next either at the upcoming Cincinnati Masters or the US Open 2023, in which both the players would enter as the top seeds respectively.
