Patrick Mouratoglou, the renowned tennis coach, recently shared his insights on Carlos Alcaraz, highlighting the young Spaniard’s versatility compared to tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Mouratoglou pointed out that while Alcaraz may lack the peak consistency of Nadal and Djokovic, his game is distinguished by its variety and dynamism.

Alcaraz has emerged as a dominant force in tennis over the past two years, securing three Grand Slam titles out of the last seven and achieving an impressive record of 34 wins in 36 matches, with victories at Monte Carlo, Rome, the French Open, and Queen’s Club.

“It was a different type of tennis, with two players [Djokovic and Nadal] that are crazy consistent, building the points a lot,”

Mouratoglou explained at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown event in Guadalajara. “If you look at Alcaraz, for example, he’s more of a puncher, but I think it’s very interesting too because he can do so many different things and he does everything so well. He drop shots, he comes to the net, unbelievable power, unbelievable touch, he can return, volley, and he does all this in a match. That’s crazy.

“So that’s very interesting. It’s never boring; something happens all the time. Of course, he’s not as consistent as Rafa and Novak at their peak, or Sinner now, who’s incredibly consistent, but he’s more fiery.”

In head-to-head matchups, Alcaraz initially lost twice to Nadal before securing a win in their third meeting. Against Djokovic, he trails 3-5. Mouratoglou also noted the shift in physical profiles within the sport, observing that most top players are now taller and thinner, citing Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Daniil Medvedev as examples.

“Clearly there is a change in terms of body type of the tennis player for the last years,” Mouratoglou said. “They are taller and taller, they are thinner and thinner. Look at the top guys, I mean there is one exception, Carlos Alcaraz, but all the other guys… have the same body type and I think it’s the modern body type. Huge serve, huge power! Because when you’re able to accelerate at the same speed as someone who is smaller but with longer arms, I mean the ball goes much faster.

“So yes, the new generation is like this. Of course, [Joao] Fonseca is one of those. Incredible power, incredible forehand, going so fast. So yes, that’s the new tennis.”

Alcaraz’s recent 20-match Wimbledon winning streak ended in a hard-fought final loss to Sinner, after which he withdrew from the Canadian Masters. He is scheduled to play in the Cincinnati Masters and will defend a modest 50 ranking points at the upcoming US Open, where he will also compete in the mixed doubles event with Emma Raducanu.

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2025 Cincinnati Masters for the second year in a row, heightening concerns about his physical condition. The former world No 1 had planned to return to the tour at the seventh Masters 1000 event this season after also withdrawing from the Canadian Masters. He skipped both tournaments in the previous year but had a strong run at the Paris Olympic Games post-Wimbledon with six additional matches.

Djokovic’s last match was a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 semi-final defeat at Wimbledon against world No 1 Jannik Sinner, marking his fifth consecutive loss to the Italian. Notably, Djokovic suffered a severe slip during his quarter-final against Flavio Cobolli. In the match against Sinner, Djokovic appeared physically compromised and struggled to employ his usual defensive play.

In his post-match press conference, Djokovic reflected on his condition: “Honestly, wasn’t really a pleasant feeling on the court. I don’t want to talk, in details, about my injury and just whine about not managing to play my best. I want to congratulate Jannik for another great performance. That’s it. He’s in the finals. He was too strong.”

He acknowledged the challenges brought by age and physical wear: “I do feel, yeah, disappointed that I just wasn’t able to move as well as I thought or hoped that I would. I don’t think it’s bad fortune. It’s just age, the wear and tear of the body. As much as I’m taking care of it, the reality hits me right now, last year and a half, like never before, to be honest.”

Djokovic noted the difficulty of best-of-five set matches this year, particularly facing young and fit opponents like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. “I feel like I’m going into the match with tank half empty. It’s just not possible to win a match like that. It is what it is, you know? It’s one of these things I accept and embrace in some way, deal with the reality the way it is, and try to make the most out of it, I guess.”

His withdrawal from Cincinnati means Djokovic will head to the US Open without any hard-court match play for approximately 44 days. Despite this unusual preparation, he boasts an impressive record at the US Open with 10 finals appearances and four titles, maintaining an 87% win rate across 104 matches. His most recent US Open campaign ended in a third-round loss to Alexei Popyrin, his earliest exit since 2006.

The North American hard court swing, anchored by ATP and WTA Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Montreal respectively, is an essential precursor to the US Open. This summer’s tournaments have raised more questions than answers about home court advantage and player readiness.

In Washington, D.C., a tournament steeped in history and significance for American players, the expected home boost was conspicuously absent. Frances Tiafoe, a local favorite, entered the competition feeling “locked in” and highly motivated, yet was ultimately defeated by fellow American Ben Shelton. Venus Williams, making a notable comeback at age 45, expressed her passion for playing on U.S. soil, but American men and women alike struggled to progress deep into the draw. Top seeds Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro exited in early rounds, while Leylah Fernandez from Canada claimed the women’s title.

The Canadian Open’s early rounds have also defied traditional expectations regarding home advantage. Canadian stars Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime failed to advance far, with surprising performances from young wild cards and lower seeds. On the women’s side, 18-year-old Victoria Mboko impressed by defeating top seed Coco Gauff, but overall Canadian women recorded just three wins, including veteran performances by Bianca Andreescu and Eugenie Bouchard.

Several players commented on the peculiar behavior of the Wilson US Open balls, which some described as “very fast” and difficult to control, influencing a higher rate of double faults and erratic play. Taylor Fritz highlighted the challenge, stating, “These are for sure the hardest balls to control that we play with all year.”

Looking ahead, the return of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner at Cincinnati adds a compelling dynamic. Both men have proven records at this stage of the season and carry heavy expectations following their Roland Garros encounter. Analysts continue to debate their potential invincibility, but fatigue and surface conditions may level the field as the US Open approaches.

Iga Swiatek stands as the leading contender on the women’s side, showcasing dominant form in Montreal before a tough loss to Clara Tauson. Her adaptation to the speedier balls and courts will be crucial as she aims to maintain momentum.

As the final Grand Slam of the season draws near, players and fans alike must temper their enthusiasm with pragmatism, acknowledging the unique challenges posed by conditions and competition in this critical stretch.