"We just haven't seen that conviction from Alcaraz" - Steve Johnson points out major difference between the Spaniard and the Big Three

Following his surprise loss to Jiri Lehecka at the 2025 Qatar Open, Carlos Alcaraz has shown to be lacking some qualities held by members of the Big Three, according to former player Steve Johnson.

Alcaraz faced Lehecka in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open last week. Although the former World No.1 held a 4-2 lead in the final set, he was unable to seal the deal. This led to his Czech opponent rallying back, and escaping with a 6-3 3-6 6-4 victory.

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Expectations are too high for the current generation, says Johnson

The retired American pro, who held a career-high ranking of World No.21, spoke on Alcaraz's shocking loss during an appearance on the Nothing Major podcast. Johnson believes the main difference between Alcaraz and the top stars from the Big Three era is the ability to maintain a high level of tennis for the duration of a match.

"He was coming back pretty well, he was very aggressive, with almost no mistakes," said California native. "I don’t know… I feel like we’ve been spoiled too much over the last 20 years with Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and then Wawrinka, Murray, Del Potro, Tsonga, Berdych. When they got ahead, they closed the door for good.
"We just haven’t seen that with conviction from Alcaraz over the last couple of years. I think his top-level tennis is better than anyone else’s, but his average level can fluctuate from time to time. It showed, especially in that match."

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