Tennis journalist tells Carlos Alcaraz fans not to panic and uses Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal as examples

Wednesday, 18 October 2023 at 00:00

The journalist Jon Wertheim commented on Carlos Alcaraz's drop in performance after the US Open and compared it to Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.

After reaching the semifinals of the US Open and losing his position as the world No. 1 to Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz couldn't successfully defend his 2022 crown and lost it to Djokovic, who won the tournament for the fourth time in his career.

Alcaraz made it to the semifinals of the ATP 500 Shanghai Open against Jannik Sinner, and he could only reach the round of 16 in the Shanghai Masters 1000, exiting the Asian tour without gaining many points and missing the opportunity to put pressure on Djokovic's world No. 1 ranking.

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Jon Wertheim, a sports journalist, spoke on the Match Point Canada podcast and mentioned that some tennis legends tend not to show too much interest in tournaments after the last Grand Slam of the year, citing Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, all of whom have won at least 20 Grand Slam titles and had them as their main focus during their careers.

"Remember Serena Williams, to some extent Federer and Nadal, they would essentially just shut it down. I'm out after the US Open. I'm not made to play September, October, November tennis,” Wertheim said.

"I think we are getting a little bit of that and I just would not panic too much if I were an Alcaraz fan, I wouldn't panic too much if I were in his camp."

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"Losing to Medvedev on the night he didn't quite have it at the US Open, that's one thing. Losing to Dimitrov is something else. I think some of this is just a function, honestly. The same thing people say, what's going on with Holger Rune and I think for some of these players they just hit a wall," he added.

"It's a lot of tennis, their commitments to play, their commitments from sponsors, there are still ranking points, there is still a chase for No. 1. I think there is a finite number of tennis that we can expect from these athletes," he concluded-

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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