What Makes Carlos Alcaraz’s Forehand So Powerful?
World No. 1 just at 19 years old, Carlos Alcaraz is unarguably one of the best if not the best tennis players in the world at the moment. So what makes him stand out from the rest of the tour?
Since his debut on tour, his play style and strokes have always been compared with the GOAT(s): Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. While he does display certain qualities of each player he is at the same time unique. His physicality, anticipation, and potential on court are off the charts, and his forehand is undeniably his most potent weapon.
Carlos Alcaraz’s forehand is perhaps the most fearsome one on tour at the moment, averaging about 78 mph at the US Open in 2021, which is about 3 miles faster than the rest of the men’s field.
Carlos’s forehand is a hybrid of the new gen forehand and the modern ATP Tour forehand. He uses the semi-western grip. Here is a breakdown of his forehand from start to finish.
Leads With Elbow Back
He leads with his elbow back during the backswing and has his racket facing about 45 degrees up which falls in between the ATP Tour style and the new gen style forehands.
Alcaraz leads with his elbow back during the backswing phase.
Racket Almost Horizontal
He gets to a point where his racket is almost parallel to the ground (at an angle of about 20%), with the racket head pointing at the net.
Full Arm Extension
At the end of his backswing, his arm is fully extended. This gives him space to swing at the ball with greater acceleration and power, a hallmark of the modern ATP style forehand.
Alcaraz’s arm is fully extended to create longer swing strokes.
Firm Yet Loose Wrist
Alcaraz uses his wrist to add more topsin and power, by slapping his wrist through upon contact with the ball.
Alcaraz uses his wrist to accelerate the racket head.
Follow Through At Shoulder Height
He finishes his swing around his bicep or shoulder like most of the players. However, he sometimes finishes with a whip over his head like Nadal.
Alcaraz ends with his racket around shoulder height.
Power
Carlos Alcaraz has a very consistent forehand stroke from start to finish. He always prepares early, does a full unit turn, pulls his racket far back to ensure that he can get maximum uncoiling of his body as he contacts the ball to generate maximum momentum and power for his forehand shots.
Also, his full arm extension helps extend the racket lag phase to create a faster racket head speed, making his shots travel faster and with more power.
Carlos does so many things right and has so much power on his forehand. He will often lift off the ground at the end of his stroke to offset the power that he generated for the shots.
Spin
Carlos Alcaraz’s forehand is not just about raw power - his forehand shots have a huge amount of topspin as well. He is able to generate a lot of topspin on his forehand as he loosens up and drops his wrist which helps him get under the ball as he comes into contact with it.
He also uses the Babolat Pure Aero VS, a racket that really helps to generate lots of spin.
Conclusion
Carlos Alcaraz’s forehand technique is well honed. From his ability to draw energy from the ground with his legs to finishing the strokes. His near flawless forehand is made better with impeccable timing, preparation and consistency.
He always prepares early, anticipates the ball and starts his backswing well before the ball touches the ground. His fast and straightforward preparation process allows him more time to prepare for the shot. He is able to take the ball early and thus able to stay aggressive in the game.
One of Carlos’s greatest strengths is his ability to anticipate the ball and his timing all around the court. He is always ready early and does micro adjustments to get into a perfect position. With a very well-rounded tennis game (which includes drop shots) and as he continues to improve, Carlos Alcaraz can be expected to be a multiple Grand Slam winner.