The odd pattern emerging among players who beat Carlos Alcaraz

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

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.

He believes that opponents tend to raise their game against him, and considering his packed 2026 schedule and impressive 17-2 record so far this year, fatigue is likely also playing a role.

Some have raised questions about his play on hard courts, but he’s shown plenty of ability there too, most recently with titles in Melbourne and Qatar.

He’s been just as effective on clay and grass as well. The tour is now shifting back to clay, starting with the Monte Carlo Masters for Alcaraz.

The Spaniard has an even split of 11 titles each on hard and clay courts out of his total of 26 ATP titles.

The other four have come on grass, where he’s already won Grand Slams on all three surfaces. With three major titles on hard courts and two each on clay and grass, it speaks to how well-rounded his game is across all surfaces.

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