Carlos Alcaraz had the best momentum of his career at the start of the 2026 season, when he went unbeaten for 16 matches straight. However, that momentum seemed to stall as the Spaniard has lost two of his last three matches, including his semifinal exit at Indian Wells and a massive third-round upset in the 2026 Miami Open.
Following this dip in form, respected coach Patrick Mouratoglou revealed the reason for Alcaraz’s disappointing results at the ATP Masters 1000.
Patrick Mouratoglou Discusses the Abrupt Halt to Carlos Alcaraz’s Momentum
Alcaraz had a nearly invincible start to this season, winning two consecutive tournaments and completing his career Grand Slam. He had a 16-0 streak until early March after his successful stints in Melbourne and Doha, before Daniil Medvedev reminded the Spaniard in Indian Wells that even he can lose.
Following this loss, Alcaraz arrived for the Miami Open, receiving a first-round bye, and faced Brazilian sensation João Fonseca in the second round. Even though the Spaniard secured a 6-4, 6-4 win, he wasn’t engaged in the match as much, as noticed by Mouratoglou.
Then, in the very next match, he suffered a third-round exit at the hands of American Sebastian Korda. The Frenchman shared his thoughts on this tough time in Alcaraz’s career, saying:
“My feeling is that Alcaraz is bored. The guy has already seven Grand Slams, and I feel like playing Masters 1000, he won so many already, he’s not that interested. That’s really a feeling that I have.”
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So, instead of calling it a form dip, Mouratoglou called it a loss of interest. Given the astronomical level of success he has achieved in his relatively young career, it could leave him without the motivation to dominate the ATP Tour, which he already has.
“I also feel that that will be the danger for him in the next years, and you know, a lot of people say that ‘Oh! This year in Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, or the US Open, he doesn’t play well in the first rounds.’ Yes, he doesn’t play well because he’s bored!” the Frenchman stated, hinting at a potential upset in the upcoming majors.
Of the remaining three Grand Slams, the World No. 1 is the defending champion in two of them, and he is the reigning Australian Open champion, showcasing the absolute masterclass he delivered.
Talking about how much better he performs against the rest of his opponents, Mouratoglou thinks his ability to win the match at any time is what’s even more dangerous for him, as he is aware of this.
“He has so much margin! When the match is too easy, he’s losing his focus because, deep inside, he knows he can break back any time. So maybe it’s not conscious, he doesn’t think ‘Oh! I don’t care,’ but he’s accepting to be broken, accepting to lose his focus. So that’s the danger for him!” he concluded.
When fans listened to this analysis, most agreed, but a few took Mouratoglou’s words offensively and said Alcaraz has the right to lose, given that he is human too. The Frenchman immediately agreed to these claims, stating, “of course he is allowed to lose. I just felt that he was tired mentally and not enjoying on the court those last 2 tournaments.”
When the conversation inevitably turned to comparisons with the Big Three, the respected coach again explained that “everyone is different and Nadal and Djokovic had not achieved as much as him at the same age.”
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Alcaraz’s third-round loss against Korda marks his defeat against the lowest-ranked player since his loss against David Goffin at the same venue in the second-round match. With the hard-court swing now over, Alcaraz is switching his playing style for the upcoming clay season, with the Monte Carlo Masters commencing on April 4, where he is the defending champion.
If he wants to return to his championship form and dominate the ATP Tour once again, he must act now, find his motivation for the upcoming season, and return with full determination.
