section_path: Playing style
section_name: Playing style
paragraph_text: Playing style
  
  Alcaraz is an all-court tennis player, but primarily employs an aggressive baseline style of play. His forehand is typically his most potent shot: he can either hit it flat and fast for winners from every court position, or add a great amount of topspin and margin over the net. He plays with a flatter and lower net-clearance two-handed backhand. Due to his aggression, Alcaraz typically generates a high number of both winners and unforced errors off his groundstrokes, particularly his forehand.
  
  Alcaraz has a powerful first serve for his height, which is commonly around 115 to 120 mph but hit with average placement. Alcaraz often adds topspin to his second serve in order to generate a high bounce which either pushes back or forces a weak return from his opponents. This serve typically reaches 150 to 170 km/h (93 to 106 mph). Due mostly to its lack of targeted placement, Alcaraz's serve is often described as a relative weak spot in his game. He is elite as a returner, particularly of first serves. In 2024, he won nearly a third of his opponents' service games.
  
  Alcaraz has an impressive net-game with excellent drop volleys and drive volleys, and frequently serves-and-volleys on crucial points. His greatly disguised drop shot is key to his game. The heaviness of his groundstrokes pushes his opponents to the back of the court, which makes his drop shots difficult to reach. His slight preference for forehand over backhand drop shots has been noted as unusual. Andy Roddick has said that the Alcaraz drop shot is "the best in the history of tennis".
  
  Alcaraz has earned acclaim for his athletic and physical traits. In particular, his direct sprints, counterattacking abilities, and an extremely high peak footspeed have garnered him comparisons to Rafael Nadal. He has been compared to Novak Djokovic for his assured lateral movement and court-coverage, aided by physical splits and sliding through the court on defense, particularly on the backhand side. Like Roger Federer, exceptional touch has also been crucial in his success. Djokovic has said Alcaraz combines "the best of all three worlds" from his game, Federer's, and Nadal's.
  
  Alcaraz is notable for his remarkable 13–1 record in five-set matches, giving him the highest success rate of all time at 92.9%. He has not lost a match in five sets since the 2022 Australian Open, when he was eighteen years old. His losses come more frequently in shorter matches, particularly in the best-of-three format. He has often been criticised for a lack of consistency, especially on hard courts. Alcaraz himself has often claimed he is unable to play well without enjoying himself on court.
  
  Alcaraz has frequently been lauded for his on-court creativity and showmanship. In 2023, he said, "Obviously, I want to win every match that I play, but at the same time, I want to have fun, try different things, make the people enjoy watching tennis and watching my matches. Sometimes I talk to myself about what is most important: if I win or doing great things."
  
  Alcaraz is an all-court tennis player, but primarily employs an aggressive baseline style of play. His forehand is typically his most potent shot: he can either hit it flat and fast for winners from every court position, or add a great amount of topspin and margin over the net. He plays with a flatter and lower net-clearance two-handed backhand. Due to his aggression, Alcaraz typically generates a high number of both winners and unforced errors off his groundstrokes, particularly his forehand.
  
  Alcaraz has a powerful first serve for his height, which is commonly around 115 to 120 mph but hit with average placement. Alcaraz often adds topspin to his second serve in order to generate a high bounce which either pushes back or forces a weak return from his opponents. This serve typically reaches 150 to 170 km/h (93 to 106 mph). Due mostly to its lack of targeted placement, Alcaraz's serve is often described as a relative weak spot in his game. He is elite as a returner, particularly of first serves. In 2024, he won nearly a third of his opponents' service games.
  
  Alcaraz has an impressive net-game with excellent drop volleys and drive volleys, and frequently serves-and-volleys on crucial points. His greatly disguised drop shot is key to his game. The heaviness of his groundstrokes pushes his opponents to the back of the court, which makes his drop shots difficult to reach. His slight preference for forehand over backhand drop shots has been noted as unusual. Andy Roddick has said that the Alcaraz drop shot is "the best in the history of tennis".
  
  Alcaraz has earned acclaim for his athletic and physical traits. In particular, his direct sprints, counterattacking abilities, and an extremely high peak footspeed have garnered him comparisons to Rafael Nadal. He has been compared to Novak Djokovic for his assured lateral movement and court-coverage, aided by physical splits and sliding through the court on defense, particularly on the backhand side. Like Roger Federer, exceptional touch has also been crucial in his success. Djokovic has said Alcaraz combines "the best of all three worlds" from his game, Federer's, and Nadal's.
  
  Alcaraz is notable for his remarkable 13–1 record in five-set matches, giving him the highest success rate of all time at 92.9%. He has not lost a match in five sets since the 2022 Australian Open, when he was eighteen years old. His losses come more frequently in shorter matches, particularly in the best-of-three format. He has often been criticised for a lack of consistency, especially on hard courts. Alcaraz himself has often claimed he is unable to play well without enjoying himself on court.
  
  Alcaraz has frequently been lauded for his on-court creativity and showmanship. In 2023, he said, "Obviously, I want to win every match that I play, but at the same time, I want to have fun, try different things, make the people enjoy watching tennis and watching my matches. Sometimes I talk to myself about what is most important: if I win or doing great things."