Bidding to become the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam by winning the Australian Open, Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz spent his off-season hard at work.
The dual-Wimbledon champion, who will break a record set by Don Budge in 1938 if triumphant in Melbourne, is in the infancy of what shapes as a grand career but is mindful that there are some flaws in what is an impressive arsenal.
One of those is his serve, with the 21-year-old aware that it is not as precise or as consistent as he would like it to be, which has led to tinkering with his service motion.
“I didn’t have too much time in the pre-season, so I just worked as much as I could in the pre-season to do a good serve. But right now I’m still thinking about it. I am still reminding myself how I have to do it,” he said.
“(I’m searching for) good rhythm. Before, probably, one of the (biggest) issues that I have on the serve is the rhythm. I didn’t get the good rhythm. So I think with this one I’m going to get a good rhythm just to hit in the right spot every time.
“I think something I have to improve (is) the precision. I have to be more precise on the serve. I think a good rhythm is going to help a lot. I think that’s what I’m looking for.”
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The barrel-chested champion, who completed the “Channel Double” last year when following a maiden Roland Garros title with a successful Wimbledon defence, is built like a bull.
The four-time major champion, who can set a record for majors won by players 21-and-under if he secures his fifth grand slam, has muscles on muscles in his legs and is capable of generating exceptional power with his ground strokes.
But at 183cm, the 2022 US Open champion is short by tour standards. A more precise serve will help his ability to generate free points more regularly, but also assist him in serve-and-volleying more frequently given it is already an area where he is extremely capable.
The serve remains a work in progress but it is a testament to the world No.3’s determination to reel in the greats of all-time that he is determined to adjust his technique despite his lofty status in tennis, which includes an unbeaten run in major finals.
“I think there are some times that I think or I feel like (there) is a problem with it, because sometimes in the match that I’ve played or during the practice, there are some games that I am not doing the right thing. I have to keep thinking about it,” he said on Saturday.
“But … I will serve without thinking about it. (It is) going to be natural. But right now I’m still working on it. I believe it will lift (those) doubts and it’s going to be natural.”
Alcaraz, who reached the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park last year, will play Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko in the opening round of the Australian Open.
He is seeded to face 10-time AO champion Novak Djokovic, who he defeated to win Wimbledon but then fell to him in a thrilling Olympics final, in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz, who added Samuel Lopez to his coaching team in the off-season, said he inspired the challenge presented by world No.1 Jannik Sinner, the defending champion in Melbourne.
While the Spaniard is the best natural surface player in the world, Sinner has been a supreme player on hard courts over the past year and is the favourite for the AO after a strong season that included winning a second major title in the US Open.
“When I’m playing against him, I have (a) different mindset, a little bit,” Alcaraz said.
“When you (are) facing the best players, or the best player in the world, you have to do something different, (adopt a) different preparation, or different mindset or whatever. When I’m facing him, I just know that I have to play my best if I want to win. That’s it.
“Probably if I have a bad day against Jannik, it’s 99 percent (sure) that you’re going to lose. That’s what is in my mind every time that I’m going to play against him.
“The good thing for me is when I’m seeing him winning titles, when I’m seeing him in the top of the rankings, (it) forces me to practice even harder every day. I’m just thinking about the things that I have to improve to play against him. That, I think, is great for me, having him (and) having such a great rivalry so far, just to give the best of me every day.”
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