Alcaraz has already become a legend, so there is no question of him being a wasted talent.

At the 2026 Australian Open, world number one and Spain’s all-rounder Alcaraz pursued his second career Grand Slam achievement. In the semifinals, carrying a right thigh adductor injury, he endured a grueling five-set match, setting a record for the longest semifinal at the Australian Open at 5 hours and 27 minutes, ultimately overcoming Germany’s powerhouse Zverev. In the final, facing the ten-time Australian Open champion and Serbian superstar Djokovic, Alcaraz came back from a set down, winning three consecutive sets to overturn the match and claim his first Australian Open title. This brought his total Grand Slam titles to seven, completing his career Grand Slam achievement. At 22 years and 272 days old, Alcaraz became the youngest male player since the start of the Open Era in 1968 to win seven Grand Slam titles, and also the youngest male player in history to complete a career Grand Slam.

However, when confronted with a prodigy like Alcaraz and his remarkable achievements, some media and tennis veterans, seeking sensationalism and attention, relentlessly criticize him with provocative remarks.

During the 2025 off-season, world number one Alcaraz was invited to participate in three exhibition matches in Miami, New Jersey, and Seoul, which served both as commercial events and opportunities to promote tennis. Unexpectedly, American tennis legend Jimmy Connors was furious about this. In a podcast conversation with his son Brett, he said: “For some people, the more money the better. Alcaraz is playing so many exhibitions during the break, but will he come to the 2026 Australian Open physically and mentally exhausted? He’s been traveling constantly, playing exhibitions and numerous commercial events, making a lot of money, but he might end up losing in the second round of the 2026 Australian Open.”

On December 17, 2025, Alcaraz and his coach Ferrero, who had worked together for seven years, announced the end of their partnership. This sparked widespread speculation. Russian tennis veteran Kafelnikov said, “Losing Ferrero is definitely a huge blow for Alcaraz.” American tennis star Roddick commented, “Ferrero was irreplaceably important to Alcaraz; his spiritual support is now gone. The 2026 Australian Open will be even tougher for Alcaraz’s future and his quest for a career Grand Slam.” British player Henman added, “Ferrero leaving the coaching team could have a significant psychological impact on Alcaraz and might disrupt his focus during matches. Only time will tell how Alcaraz will recover from this.”

Australian doubles legend Woodbridge remarked, “Without Ferrero’s companionship, Alcaraz will need considerable time to adapt to the new environment. Simply put, Alcaraz has lost his pillar of support for the time being, so his performance might not be as consistent as before, giving opponents opportunities. Winning a Grand Slam in the 2026 season will be even more difficult for Alcaraz.” Meanwhile, former French Wimbledon singles champion Bartoli said, “Although Alcaraz possesses extraordinary talent, his stability and mental state are questionable. After parting ways with Ferrero, if he suffers major setbacks in competition with Sinner in 2026, Alcaraz might lose motivation and retire early, much like Bjorn Borg who retired at 25.”

None of these critics anticipated that at the 2026 Australian Open, Alcaraz would withstand immense pressure, overcome tremendous obstacles, and seize the championship in one fell swoop. While these voices were proven wrong, some media and tennis veterans still emerged to criticize Alcaraz, which is truly frustrating.

They claim that Alcaraz’s style of running all over the court and fighting for every ball is too physically taxing and unsustainable; they argue he tends to lose focus during matches, lacking long-term consistency and potential; they also say his enthusiasm for exhibitions and commercial events inevitably wastes his talent, and so on.

Alcaraz’s compatriot and Spanish tennis legend Nadal could not stand these remarks. In an interview, he said: “Alcaraz is incredible and has the potential to make history. He is no longer just a rising star; having already won seven Grand Slam titles, he represents more than just a promising future — he is already a legend.”

Regarding the so-called criticism about Alcaraz’s lack of stability, Nadal completely disagrees. At the end of last year, Nadal said: “Sometimes Alcaraz may seem a bit scattered. His matches can be unpredictable; he hits many spectacular shots but lacks precision at times and makes more errors occasionally. However, if you look at his 2025 results, he had an extremely steady and solid season in major tournaments. That’s why when I hear people say he’s scattered, I find it amusing, because Alcaraz’s 2025 record proves the exact opposite.”

In the 2025 season, Alcaraz achieved a record of 71 wins and 9 losses, capturing eight titles and finishing as the year-end world number one. From the Monte Carlo Masters to the Turin ATP Finals, he reached the final in ten out of eleven consecutive tournaments, winning eight titles. As Nadal said, with such outstanding results, can Alcaraz still be called unstable? Now, with the momentum of winning the 2026 Australian Open, Alcaraz has become the youngest male player since the start of the Open Era in 1968 to win seven Grand Slam titles, and the youngest male player ever to complete a career Grand Slam. As Nadal put it, “He is already a legend!” So how can anyone say he is a wasted talent?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Qicai Doufen)