Novak Djokovic, considered the best returner on the tennis planet, has his weapon covered in the serve. Three of his six best seasons of service have been since 2022. A change in the start of the 24-time champion’s service was key. In the movement he brings the ball to the string before raising it to ensure control of the launch, ensuring that the ball spins as little as possible when released. This allows him a more consistent throw with better control, facilitating the direction and effect of the serve, something key for his technique.
That is exactly the main nuance in Carlos Alcaraz’s serve for 2026. The man from Murcia, who began the preseason on December 13 – track training began on the 17th -, has placed special emphasis on the staging of the ball.
Together with Samuel Lópezhis first coach in the new course, replacing Juan Carlos Ferrero, He has returned to working on throwing the ball on the serve, helped by a stick and a small basketball basket. Contacted by MARCA, Samu assured that the mechanics are the same that the Murcian had been using.
Just a year ago, after debuting with victory at the Australian Open, Alcaraz signed the camera of achievement: “Am I a service robot?“I had connected 14 aces and had only lost 11 points on serve in his victory against Yoshihito Nishioka.
He was referring to the effectiveness with his new serve, in which he had gained rhythm and fluidity thanks to not making any stops. On the 2024 gravel tour he performed two, then he moved on to one until he found the staging that best suited his game.
The most perfect
Internet users chose Carlitos’ serve during the last Masters 1000 in Cincinnati as the most perfect of last seasonahead of Jannik Sinner, in the defense of the ATP Finals crown in Turin, and Taylor Fritz, on the grass of Stuttgart.
The world number one has only taken a break in training on Christmas Day and January 1. There will be 22 days of preseason in his native Murcia – three top 100 players have accompanied him as Flavio Cobolli, Roberto Bautista and Pedro Martínez– before leaving on January 7th for South Korea.
There he will play three days later in the Hyundai Card Super Match against Jannik Sinnerhis great rival on the men’s circuit. It will be the third time they meet in a friendly after the last two finals of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh.
On January 14 he will challenge himself at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, along with Sinner, among others, in front of 10 fans in the One Point Slam. They will be matches to one point and whoever serves is drawn.
After 24 hours the local idol Alex de Minaur will be measured. That will be the last test before the debut in a major in which they have not made it past the quarterfinals. At stake is the history of tennis.
