Tennis as a sport has not changed since its arrival, but the playing style has changed a lot over the years. The serve and volley technique has become obsolete. The rallies became longer, and players became fitter. Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune are examples of young players who throw everything on the court. These players cover the court like machines, which can also be a threat to them in the future.
Former player Marion Bartoli believes that the explosive game later takes a toll on the body. Right now, Alcaraz and Rune are 20 years old with impeccable physical fitness. It is risky to keep going down the same road, said the former Wimbledon champion. Bartoli mentioned that Novak Djokovic has been one of the few players who has been able to stay fit at the age of 36 and continue to win grand slams.
Djokovic, unlike other players, has not slowed after reaching their thirties. Bartoli said, “The flexibility, the smoothness, everything moves freely. It’s something that Alcaraz and Rune might want to emulate later on.” The Serbian used his game at the US Open to reduce the length of the rallies. Alcaraz and Rune will have to take a careful approach if they want to survive for long in the sport.
Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune have to rethink their strategies
The ongoing China Open was the last event Alcaraz and Rune played. The Spaniard was totally outplayed in the semifinal by Jannik Sinner. He had won his last two matches against Sinner but could not do the trick in Beijing. The Italian took five consecutive games in the second set to complete the match in under two hours. Alcaraz needs to mix up his strategy like Djokovic.
Rune was knocked out early into the tournament as compared to Alcaraz. The Danish player lost in the fourth round to Grigor Dimitrov. The world No.4 lost three consecutive matches after reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Rune won his opening match at the China Open but lost in the next one. He lost in the opening round at the US Open and Toronto. At the Cincinnati Masters, he had to withdraw due to a back injury.
Alcaraz played an exhibition match with Rune at the Moon Reflection Stadium.#ChinaOpen #CarlosAlcaraz #HolgerRune pic.twitter.com/tSbHIcPkDT
— Flinxx (@flinx2052) September 28, 2023
Injuries at this age can be a warning sign for Rune. He will need to take care of his health to keep winning matches the whole season and not just the first six months of the tour. Alcaraz and Rune will now be playing at the Shanghai Masters 1000, which has started today. With the absence of Djokovic, the younger players have a chance to prove themselves.