Former world No. 1 doubts Alcaraz’s capabilities

Carlos Alcaraz faces the 2025 ATP Finals carrying significant pressure after his disappointing performance at the Paris Masters not long ago.

Former world No. 1 Justine Henin believes Carlos Alcaraz has yet to fully master his game on indoor hard courts, despite entering the 2025 ATP Finals as one of the top contenders for the title.

Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, shared with French-language Eurosport that she still has many doubts about Alcaraz’s ability to perform in indoor conditions. "Carlos has great potential, but he still needs to overcome this hurdle. The season has been long, and although there was a short break, Carlos is surely affected by fatigue and pressure. He has never truly shined at the ATP Finals, while Jannik is currently in excellent form.", Henin commented.

In reality, Alcaraz’s form in indoor tournaments has been quite inconsistent. At the Laver Cup, the Spanish player lost 3-6, 2-6 to Taylor Fritz, before falling 4-6, 6-3, 4-6 to Cameron Norrie in his opening match at the Paris Masters. Although he recently won the Japan Open—an outdoor event—and also claimed the Rotterdam Open earlier this year, those results do not fully reflect Carlitos’s adaptability to indoor competition.

The 2025 ATP Finals will mark Alcaraz’s third appearance at this prestigious year-end tournament. In 2023, he was stopped in the semifinals by Novak Djokovic, and the previous year he was eliminated in the round-robin stage with only one win out of three matches. His lack of deep runs has led experts to believe the 22-year-old must prove his resilience in the unique conditions of this event.

Nonetheless, Alcaraz remains a strong contender. With 67 wins and 8 titles in 2025, he and Jannik Sinner are considered the leading candidates for the championship. The upcoming ATP Finals will be an opportunity for Alcaraz to affirm himself—not only to his rivals but also to dispel doubts about his own limits.

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