Alcaraz Delivers Stark Self-Assessment After Shock Miami Open Exit

Carlos Alcaraz has issued a blunt assessment of his performance following a surprising defeat at the Miami Open 2025. The world No. 3 suffered an unexpected loss to David Goffin in the second round, admitting he simply “didn’t play well” in the 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 upset. The defeat not only ended his hopes of winning the Miami Open but also dashed his chances of reclaiming the world No. 2 ranking.

“A Very Poor Performance”: Alcaraz’s Self-Critique

Following his loss to David Goffin, Carlos Alcaraz didn’t hold back in his self-evaluation. He described his performance as “very poor,” acknowledging that his opponent played better.

• Level Declined: Alcaraz admitted that his level of play decreased after the first set, while Goffin’s improved. “After the first set, I think he started to play better while my level declined, even though he was already playing well,” Alcaraz stated.
• Physical Discomfort: The young Spaniard also confessed to not feeling physically well during the match. “I didn’t play well, and I didn’t feel good physically either,” he said. He clarified that he wasn’t injured or sick but felt his legs tiring, especially towards the end of the second set.
• Confidence Lacking: Alcaraz attributed his struggles to a lack of confidence in his physical and tennis abilities. “In these kinds of matches, when you don’t feel that confidence either in terms of tennis skills or physically, everything becomes much harder,” he explained.

Goffin’s Resurgence and Alcaraz’s Struggles

David Goffin, currently ranked No. 55 in the world, displayed a strong performance against Alcaraz. His high first-serve percentage (65%) proved to be a key factor, boosting his confidence throughout the match.

• Goffin’s Strategy: Goffin capitalized on Alcaraz’s uncharacteristic errors and inconsistent serve. He engaged Alcaraz in long rallies, forcing the Spaniard to work hard for every point.
• Alcaraz’s Unforced Errors: Alcaraz struggled with his accuracy, accumulating 42 unforced errors throughout the match, contributing significantly to his downfall.
• Previous Encounters: While Alcaraz was considered the favorite, Goffin had defeated him before. With this win, Goffin now holds a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head record.

Impact on ATP Rankings

Alcaraz’s early exit from the Miami Open has consequences for his ATP ranking. Although he will remain at world No. 3, his gap with Jannik Sinner will narrow.

• Points Lost: Alcaraz will lose 190 points due to not reaching the quarter-finals like he did last year.
• Zverev’s Advantage: Alcaraz missed the opportunity to surpass Alexander Zverev for the No. 2 ranking. Zverev will retain his position as long as he advances to the quarter-finals in Miami.
• Sinner Closing In: Jannik Sinner, who is defending champion points, will see the point difference between him and Alcaraz reduced.

Alcaraz’s 2025 Season So Far

Before the Miami Open setback, Carlos Alcaraz experienced mixed results in the 2025 season.

• Australian Open Quarterfinals: He reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets.
• Rotterdam Title: Alcaraz secured his first title of 2025 at the Rotterdam Open, defeating Alex de Minaur in the final. This marked his first indoor hardcourt title.
• Qatar Open Quarterfinals: He reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open, losing to Jiri Lehecka in three sets.
• Indian Wells Semifinals: He reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells, losing to Jack Draper.

Looking Ahead to the Clay Court Season

Despite the disappointing result in Miami, Carlos Alcaraz remains focused on the upcoming clay court season. He aims to learn from this experience and bounce back stronger.

• Learning from Defeat: Alcaraz acknowledged the need to analyze what went wrong in Miami and move forward. “We have to learn from this and move forward,” he stated.
• Clay Court Focus: Alcaraz will now shift his attention to preparing for the clay court season, where he has historically performed well.
• Future Expectations: As the 2025 season progresses, tennis fans will be watching to see if Alcaraz can regain his momentum and continue to develop his game.

Expertise: Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach, has said that Alcaraz finds it difficult to bring out his best tennis indoors, and his end-of-season results have consistently reflected this.