The odd pattern emerging among players who beat Carlos Alcaraz
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Getting the better of Carlos Alcaraz is no easy feat, and it often comes at a price for those who manage to pull it off. With two major titles already under his belt this season – the Australian Open and the Qatar Open – he’s clearly set himself apart early on. Even though he didn’t go all the way in Indian Wells or Miami, he’s still holding onto that world number one spot.
And whether or not you back him as the favourite, there aren’t many looking past him when predicting winners right now. But those defeats are part of an unusual pattern that seems to follow Alcaraz’s rare losses. The players who get past him haven’t fared well immediately afterward, suggesting there might be more to beating him than just what shows up in the scoreline.
Players who beat Carlos Alcaraz continue to lose their next match Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images In the past year, four players have beaten Alcaraz before the final of an ATP event, and each one lost their following match. David Goffin knocked him out in the second round of the 2025 Miami Open but then lost to Brandon Nakashima straight after. Cameron Norrie did something similar at the 2025 Paris Masters, falling to Valentin Vacherot in the third round just after his win over Alcaraz.
Daniil Medvedev beat Alcaraz in this year’s Indian Wells semifinal, only to lose to Jannik Sinner in the final. Sebastian Korda followed a third-round win over Alcaraz by losing to world number 151 Martin Landaluce in Miami. The pattern is clear: beating Carlos doesn’t guarantee success.
If anything, it highlights just how draining those matches can be, even for players who manage to win them. Which surface suits Carlos Alcaraz best? There are a number of factors to consider when looking at Alcaraz’s recent dip in form, especially after such a strong run over the past few years.