Andre Agassi has outlined what sets Carlos Alcaraz apart from everyone else at Roland Garros, as he bids to defend his crown.
The 22-year-old stormed to the title last year in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to beat both Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev as he claimed that elusive silverware.
In doing so, he cemented the notion that he was the new king of the clay; the man that everyone else would have to beat if they wanted any elite titles on this surface.
This year has been no different, and despite a few hiccups, he has cruised into the fourth round.
Agassi has sought to explain what makes him so great on the Parisian clay.
Andre Agassi highlights Carlos Alcaraz’s great strength
Given his own feature on TNT Sports, where he delved into the uniqueness of playing on clay, Agassi spoke about his experiences whilst giving his thoughts on the current crop of stars.
Naturally, Carlos Alcaraz had to be mentioned, and the American actually used his compatriot, Tommy Paul, as a way to prove just how good the Spaniard is on this surface.
He stated: ‘Alcaraz is crazy fast defensively. This is a guy when you watch him move on a hard court you put him top three in the world in movement. You put him, Tommy Paul and De Minaur.
‘Then you watch those same three on clay, a more slippery surface, and you realise that the fastest guys’ movement diminishes about five percent but Alcaraz’s only diminishes one or two percent. Alcaraz trusts his power in his legs so much that from incredibly defensive positions he can still hurt you, which means you have to have your guard up at all times.
‘When you get guys that have great speed, great athleticism and then great skill sets that is the kind of speed that really hurts.’
What is Carlos Alcaraz’s all-time record on clay?
In beating Damir Džumhur to reach the fourth round of the French Open, the Spaniard extended his record on clay to 30-2 since last May. A truly incredible run of form.
It should therefore come as no surprise that Alcaraz has therefore won nearly every elite title available on this surface, as a champion at Monte-Carlo, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Rio and Roland Garros, of course.
Across his entire career, it’s also not a shock that he has a better win rate on only grass, with his 161/37 record an impressive one.
Carlos Alcaraz’s 2025 performance in clay-court tournaments
| Event | Round Reached | Player lost to… |
| Italian Open | Winner | N/A |
| Barcelona Open | Final | Holger Rune |
| Monte-Carlo Masters | Winner | N/A |
He is expected to end his career as a multiple champion at the French Open, having already won one and widely regarded as a big favourite to claim this year’s title too. Alexander Zverev expects Alcaraz to reach the Roland Garros final with some ease, to further emphasise that point.
However, he will face tough opposition should he reach the final, where the seemingly unstoppable Jannik Sinner is expected to be waiting.
It is the showcase finale that the tennis world is craving, with Ben Shelton next up to try and upset the favourite.
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