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Tennis legend Justine Henin has told Carlos Alcaraz he “still has a lot of learning to do” and felt he lacked “stability and precision” in his loss to Alexander Zverev at the Australian Open.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion claimed Alcaraz had “fallen into the same trap” he did during his “complicated” end to 2023 where he “loses himself tactically”.
Alcaraz fell to a four-set defeat to Zverev in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Australian Open on Wednesday after delivering an erratic display for much of the first three sets.
The world No 2 fought back from 2-5 behind in the third set and produced a superb sequence to win it in a tiebreak and avoid a one-sided loss, but Zverev held him off in the fourth.
The stars align for Sascha in Melbourne ✨@AlexZverev returns to the AO semifinals and is one step closer to a maiden Grand Slam trophy ✨@wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis pic.twitter.com/WLYySu0iYz
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2024
The 20-year-old Spaniard has not won a title since stunning Novak Djokovic in five sets in a thrilling Wimbledon final last year to claim his second major crown.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz plays down impact of being without his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero
Speaking to Eurosport, former world No 1 Henin praised the performance of sixth seed Zverev, while discussing Alcaraz’s tactical issues.
“The level Zverev has reached is crazy. He completely dominated Carlos Alcaraz and came onto the court so aggressively. He smothered Alcaraz, and the Spaniard looked like he was in trouble,” the Belgian assessed.
“He was hoping for more after a complicated end to last season and a difficult defeat at the US Open. Today, he’s fallen into the same trap. When he can’t develop his creativity, when things don’t go his way, he loses himself tactically.
“Carlos Alcaraz still has a lot of learning to do. He won this third set thanks to a minor miracle, as Zverev tightened up a little. At that point, you wondered whether he was going to find the right structure to turn things around for him. That’s what he’s been lacking: stability and precision.
“Despite all his qualities, I think that’s what he needs to learn. Today, he was unable to react for almost three sets. There was a customer in front of him, but Alcaraz lost his way by trying to rush things, by playing too fast.”
Zverev will face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Friday, while Novak Djokovic will take on Jannik Sinner.
READ MORE: Nick Kyrgios makes Carlos Alcaraz ‘human’ claim as he reacts to ‘insane’ Alexander Zverev win
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