Carlos Alcaraz could end up on crutches at 22, says Guido Monaco

Carlos Alcaraz's physical style of play has caused former Italian player Guido Monaco to issue a stern warning to the youngster. Monaco recently stated that Alcaraz could find himself "on crutches" in the next few years if he doesn't make the necessary changes to his game.

Alcaraz has had a meteoric rise since the start of the 2022 season, establishing himself as one of the best players in the world. Apart from winning his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open, he has also lifted three Masters 1000 titles so far.

However, the Spaniard has also missed a few important events due to injuries.

An abdominal muscle tear forced Alcaraz to retire mid-match against Holger Rune at the 2022 Paris Masters in November. He then picked up a leg injury while preparing for the 2023 Australian Open in January. Earlier this week, the 19-year-old cited hand and back problems to pull out of the 2023 Monte-Carlo Masters.

Speaking to OA Sport recently, Guido Monaco expressed his concern for Alcaraz. The former player and current tennis commentator for Eurosport stated that Alcaraz was doing way too many splits in every match.

"Alcaraz is really going to have to learn to manage himself, otherwise he's going to end up on crutches at 22," Monaco said. "He can't make 80 big splits per match, although we are talking about a very talented athlete. He talked about a problem with his left hand and his back after Miami. He did well, he spent half the tournament on the floor [doing splits]. That's something he has to learn."

Monaco urged the World No. 2 to learn from Novak Djokovic, who also performs splits but in a much more controlled manner.

"Djokovic, who has the same type of defensive game, only does it in certain games. Carlos, on the other hand, is still too exuberant and has been exposed to a few too many injuries," he said.

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"It’s a very difficult mantle to take over" - Boris Becker on the chances of Carlos Alcaraz emulating Big 3's success

Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz's success at a young age has led some fans and experts to suggest that he could repeat or even surpass what Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic achieved. However, former World No. 1 Boris Becker believes there's a long way to go for the young Spaniard.

Speaking on CloudFest 2023, the German icon remarked that although Alcaraz is a "superstar," replicating the Big 3's success isn't guaranteed.

“Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic are not only tennis heroes, they are sporting heroes. They are cultural icons," Boris Becker said. "It’s a very difficult mantle to take over. [Carlos Alcaraz] is amazing, he plays great, he looks good, and has the full package as a tennis superstar."

"But there’s a lot more to it than playing tennis," Becker added. "You have to come back, you have to defend your titles, you become a representative of your country and you’re getting into boxes you didn’t think existed before. We have to be careful. Nobody is perfect and we have to watch that these tennis players are people. And people make mistakes."

Carlos Alcaraz is expected to make a comeback at the ATP 500 Barcelona Open, beginning on April 17.