Andre Agassi has been profiling Carlos Alcaraz ahead of his Indian Wells title defence this week.
The Spaniard is seeking to defend his ranking points after a tough past six months in which his form has dipped from the impossibly high standards he had previously set.
However, the USA pundit and former world number one has outlined a key weakness which could hold him back, should he not correct it in the near future.
But what could Alcaraz possibly have to fix when he has already shone at such a young age? We take a closer look…
What Andre Agassi said about Carlos Alcaraz
Speaking to Tennis Majors, Agassi sought to detail the good and the bad of the 20-year-old superstar.
Having commentated on his prowess during last week’s inaugural Netflix Slam, he has since decided to outline the outstanding downside that he must fix.
The 53-year-old first claimed: ‘I really love his game on the move, when he’s in flight, the dynamics and his ability to use the geometry and the pace he can inject. I do get a little concerned for him sometimes when he’s on the static side.
‘When his feet don’t have to move as much sometimes he doesn’t know where to direct that energy and he gets set a little too early, not quite the same conviction on his shots when he can be in control of the point.’
However, he fears for one attribute: ‘When I look at Alcaraz’s ability to bring such an upside, he will struggle with keeping the reins on and not necessarily having to do more than he needs to, in the majority of his matches.
‘All greats figure out what their game is built on and they rely on that in the biggest moments. I still question if Carlos has figured out what he’s going to rely on to create that consistent pressure for his opponent that gives him the highest percentage of locking something down. He might serve, volley he might his first ball drop, he can do all of it.
‘He’s going to find it, he’s only 20. It’s going to be beautiful when he does. I hope it’s soon and often.’
Carlos Alcaraz has all the tools to dominate
Agassi does make a great point about Alcaraz, who has all the tools at his disposal to dominate tennis, but is yet to develop the experience or unflinching mindset to whip them out at the appropriate times.
Sometimes opting for the spectacular rather than the safe winner, the Spaniard is a showman and always plays with a smile on his face.
It is that positive attitude which can draw scrutiny should he fall to defeat, with some then questioning his killer instinct in the key moments.
But given the records he has already shattered, he is allowed to ease off in order to just have some fun.
He’s still a kid, and learning every day. When he wants to knuckle down and start making history, he will likely do so with ease.
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