Carlos Alcaraz has struggled for form after the Paris Olympics, which Roger Federer’s former coach has claimed “broke his heart” when losing to rival Novak Djokovic
Carlos Alcaraz suffered a tough defeat at the Olympics to Novak Djokovic (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic has been told by Roger Federer’s former coach that he’s the cause of Carlos Alcaraz “loss of joy”.
Paul Annacone – who coached the Swiss icon from 2010 to 2013 – has aimed his finger at the Serbian superstar for the 21-year-old’s dip in performance in the second half of the year.
While the Spaniard started 2024 under a rich vein of form, having successfully defended his Indian Wells title before capturing back-to-back Grand Slams at the French Open and Wimbledon, major victories lessened during his North American hard-court tour.
According to Annacone, it was Alcaraz’s heart-breaking defeat in the final of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games that sparked a turning point in his season. Following the 7-6, 7-6 thrilling clash, the Spaniard couldn’t hold back his years in a loss that the American coach said “broke his heart”.
In an interview on Tennis Channel’s Inside In podcast, the 61-year-old said: “Carlos is a player full of joy. I think part of this year he lost some of that joy, and that was due to multiple reasons. That moment broke his heart a little bit and left him reeling for the rest of the summer.”
Since that defeat, Alcaraz has shown signs of being out of character, which began with smashing a racket in his shock defeat to Gael Monfils in the Cincinnati Open in August. Known for his cool temperament, the four-time major champion once again had an outburst on the court when throwing his racket in an eventual ATP Finals defeat to Alexander Zverev earlier this month.
Despite his recent behaviour, Annacone retains faith in Alcaraz that he’ll soon get over this hurdle and return to top form. “He has an incredible head and a great team around him. There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be just a little turbulence in his path,” he said.
Carlos Alcaraz lost 7-6, 7-6 to Novak Djokovic in the men’s final at the Paris Olympics (
Getty Images)
With Spain having been eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup this month, Alcaraz will have plenty of rest to ensure a strong start to the new season in 2025.
The 21-year-old has had a “hectic” year says Annacone – who currently coaches Taylor Fritz – and said despite winning an Olympic silver medal, that achievement has also been one of the toughest obstacles to overcome for the player.
“It’s been a bit hectic for him, but he’s got a good head on his shoulders and a great team around him. There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be just a blip.”
