Carlos Alcaraz is undeniably in a rut. The first three months of 2025 have been a letdown for the young Spaniard, whose sparkle—once a global fan magnet—seems to have dimmed. With rival Jannik Sinner now atop the ATP rankings, the 21-year-old from Murcia is feeling the heat, and it’s showing. Sure, he made history in 2024 as the youngest to conquer Roland Garros and Wimbledon in one season, but since the Paris Olympics—barring a gritty Beijing ATP 500 final against Sinner—he’s been a shadow of that peak form.
Alcaraz and his coaching duo, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Samuel Lopez, poured effort into refining his game over the off-season, buoyed by optimism. Yet, the four-time Grand Slam champ has stumbled more than soared in 2025. Rotterdam offered a bright spot—he nabbed his first indoor ATP title in February—but losses to lesser foes have piled up. A semifinal exit to Jack Draper at Indian Wells stung, and yesterday’s Miami Open second-round shocker against David Goffin—a sloppy, error-riddled collapse after dropping the first set—buried any shot at reclaiming No. 1 before Sinner’s return.
That Florida flop, at a tournament he won in 2022, has tongues wagging. Whispers suggest his bond with Ferrero might be fraying, and insiders warn the rift could widen if Alcaraz doesn’t flip the script soon. The world No. 3’s next move? He’s got to dig deep—fast—or risk letting this slump define his season.
