Alcaraz rarely loses. He recorded only 8 defeats in 2025 and two since early 2026. However, after each loss, an old question resurfaces, particularly recently: Did Alcaraz beat himself, or did his opponents play exceptionally well? For the world number 1, the answer is always clear, and he increasingly believes it: opponents seem to "transform" every time they face him.

"Sometimes I get tired because it feels like I have to play Roger Federer in every match", Alcaraz once stated at Indian Wells after struggling to overcome Arthur Rinderknech (6-7 [6], 6-3, 6-2). "I feel they are playing at an incredible level. I don't know if I'm mistaken, but they seem to always perform like that against me. If they could maintain that level in every match, they should be ranked much higher. That's what always occupies my mind when I play."

Carlos Alcaraz returns a shot during his loss to Sebastian Korda in the third round of the Miami Masters at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, United States on 22/3. *AFP*

These statements garnered more attention after his unexpected defeat on 23/3 to world number 36 Sebastian Korda in the Miami Masters third round. Post-match, Alcaraz reiterated his stance, focusing on the American opponent's performance.

"Sebastian displayed an incredible level; he played an explosive match", Alcaraz emphasized in the press conference. "I think I played well, but I also need to consider the other side of the net. Sebastian played at a very high level. I feel that opponents always play with a 'nothing to lose' mindset when facing me, so they play very freely, without pressure. But now I understand how players will approach a match against me. I need to be ready, try not to let them get into their rhythm, and push them into even more difficult situations."

While Alcaraz's view on players often in the world's top 50 may seem "strict", this topic is dividing his peers.

Rinderknech, who first compared an opponent's play to Federer's, is one of the French players who has faced Alcaraz the most – 6 times. Despite no wins, the world number 27 has delivered two impressive performances against Alcaraz in the past two months. However, he does not fully agree with the Spanish star's analysis.

"I'm not sure he has to face opponents playing like Federer in every match", Rinderknech explained in Miami early last week. "If that were true, Alcaraz wouldn't have won as many matches as he does. When you see him dominate opponents most of the time, if everyone played like Federer, I think he would be in much more trouble. This is like Ligue 1 teams playing against PSG; it's always their match of the year. And sometimes, a few teams will play the match of their lives, exceeding their actual level."

Korda shared this view. Despite a peak performance on Miami's Center Court with powerful shots that unsettled Alcaraz, the American admitted struggling with mental pressure at a critical moment – losing a crucial break point while serving to close out the match in the second set.

Korda during his win against Alcaraz in the third round of the Miami Masters at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, United States on 22/3. *Reuters*

"Closing out a match against Alcaraz is twice as difficult as usual", Korda affirmed. "You feel his presence in key moments; that's when he plays his best tennis. Frankly, before the match, I didn't even know I had never faced a world number 1. After all, it's just a ranking. Throughout the match, all I wanted was to focus on my side of the court and believe in myself."

Conversely, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who challenged Alcaraz at the ATP 500 Beijing in late 2024, supports the Spanish player's view.

"Alcaraz is absolutely right", said the world number 59 player. "Our perspective is that we have nothing to lose. The pressure is more on him. If we don't dare to try something groundbreaking, we will definitely lose."

According to Perricard, Alcaraz's opponents enter the match with a different mindset and no limits. However, it would be difficult for the Spanish player to maintain such a mindset when facing an opponent of similar or theoretically lower rank.

"It would be much easier to maintain that excited state all the time. But the reality is that when you look at the rankings, you know who your opponent is. The skill of controlling pressure is part of tennis. The best players like Alcaraz still know how to win under great pressure even when they are not playing well. Therefore, we need to learn that aspect", Perricard concluded.