Carlos Alcaraz has made an impressive start to his clay-court season, reaching the finals of two tournaments in two weeks.
The young Spanish player has successfully adapted to clay, winning the Monte-Carlo Masters after defeating Lorenzo Musetti in the final with a score of 3-6, 6-1, 6-0.
After returning to his home country, Alcaraz advanced to the final of the Barcelona Open, where he faced Holger Rune but fell short of victory.
Looking ahead, Alcaraz aims to reclaim the Madrid Open title, which he previously won in 2022 and 2023, after losing in the quarterfinals last year.
Tommy Paul Claims Stefanos Tsitsipas Had a Better Forehand Than Carlos Alcaraz During His Prime
In an interview with the Madrid Open’s YouTube channel, world number 12 Tommy Paul was asked to choose a forehand from any player on the ATP Tour that he would like to possess.
“I think prime [Stefanos] Tsitsipas’ forehand is pretty amazing,” he remarked, noting that both Tsitsipas and Alcaraz excel in this area.
Paul compared their forehands, suggesting that at one point, Tsitsipas had the best forehand on the tour. “I think both of their forehands when they are on, it’s crazy,” he stated, adding that Tsitsipas’s forehand requires more movement to execute effectively.
“He has a weakness on the backhand side, but he compensates for it with his exceptional forehand quality and outstanding lateral movement to set it up well,” Paul added, asserting that Tsitsipas had a period where his forehand was unmatched on the tour.
| Player | Forehand Winner % | Forehand Down the Line Winner % | Forehand Inside-Out Winner % |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 17.0 | 23.3 | 12.3 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | 16.5 | 22.7 | 13.3 |
Both players exhibit strong forehand performance compared to their ATP competitors, with Alcaraz holding a slight advantage in two important categories.
This potential edge might be significant in explaining Alcaraz’s success against Tsitsipas, as he currently leads their head-to-head meetings 6-0.
- 2024 French Open QF – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-3, 7-6, 6-4
- 2023 French Open QF – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-2, 6-1, 7-6
- 2023 Barcelona Open F – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-3, 6-4
- 2022 Barcelona Open QF – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
- 2022 Miami Open 4R – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7-5, 6-3
- 2021 US Open – 3R – Carlos Alcaraz defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 0-6, 7-6
Tommy Paul Believes Andre Agassi Would Be a ‘Nightmare’ Matchup for Stefanos Tsitsipas
When asked how Tsitsipas would fare against players from 20 years ago, Paul stated, “I believe he would do exceptionally well. However, some players would still pose significant challenges to him.”
Paul highlighted that [Andre] Agassi would be an especially tough opponent, calling his style “a nightmare” for Tsitsipas, although he acknowledged Tsitsipas’s competitive spirit and forehand weapon could create discomfort for Agassi.
“In a clay match, Tsitsipas would likely relish the opportunity to play against Agassi.” Both players have had successful careers on clay, with Agassi winning the French Open in 1999.
| Player | Best French Open Result | Clay Court Masters 1000 Titles | Clay Court ATP Titles |
| Andre Agassi | W – 1999 | 1 (Italian Open, 2002) | 7 |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | F – 2021 | 3 (Monte-Carlo Masters, 2021, 2022, 2024) | 5 |
Tsitsipas finished as the runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the French Open final four years ago, which marked his best result at Roland Garros.
Despite holding a two-set lead, he ultimately lost to Djokovic, with a score of 7-6, 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 4-6. Nonetheless, he has achieved notable success at the Masters 1000 level on clay, securing three titles at the Monte-Carlo Masters between 2021 and 2024.
As he prepares for his 2025 Madrid Open campaign, Tsitsipas will aim to capture a fourth clay-court Masters 1000 title when he faces either Jan-Lennard Struff or a qualifier on Saturday, April 26.
