This was the vital key for Carlos Alcaraz to win the Rotterdam final

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If we look back several decades, tennis used to be played more towards the net, vertically, rather than horizontally, as it has been since the early 2000s. The likes of Nadal, Djokovic, and company shifted the game to be mostly played from the baseline, regardless of the surface. The new generation, led by Sinner and Alcaraz, seems inclined to usher in a new era where tennis is played moving towards the net. In this regard, Carlos Alcaraz based his dominance today to defeat Alex de Miñaur in the Rotterdam ATP final.

He excels in displaying his best tennis when he is close to the net. Agile as a cat and precise as a sniper. While most players on the circuit win only 35% of points when their opponents are at the net, Carlos elevates his to 42%. In today's match against De Miñaur, that number rose to an impressive 54%. This means that when Alex tried to approach the net, he lost more points than he gained, something quite uncommon on the circuit.

Furthermore, Alcaraz managed to win 61% of the net points when he approached it (averaging 70% in the tournament). In other words, in all the points played near the net, Carlos made the difference. In a sport like tennis, where just a couple of points can tip the scale one way or the other, this proved crucial in such a tightly contested final like that in Rotterdam.

Superiority in two other aspects

Carlos faced a very accurate De Miñaur from the baseline. The Australian won the majority of points played from the back of the court in both the first and second sets. It is striking that the Spaniard yielded ground where he usually outshines most of his rivals. Carlos's patience was key in turning the tables in the third set. The key difference in his victory was that he managed to regain control from the baseline.

Statistics back this up. Alcaraz only won 40% of points from the baseline in the first set and 37% in the second. However, in the third set, he raised this to 55%. Already superior at the net, coupled with his improved play from the baseline, was essential in sealing his victory, not forgetting an old friend who had been absent for a while: his serve.

His first serve sustained Carlos in moments where his backhand faltered (reaching 20 errors solely from that side), delivering an excellent 38% of first serves that were unreturnable. These 'free points,' crucial on a court like Rotterdam's, also contributed to Alcaraz reclaiming silver and lifting a title four months later.

In a tennis world predominantly played from the baseline in the last two decades, Alcaraz appears ready to establish a new style, blending the 80s with the 2000s, by playing proactively and showcasing strength at the net (sometimes without needing to volley, winning points with just the approach shot) while remaining solid from the baseline. The future tennis player does a little bit of everything. When we say Alcaraz is tremendously well-rounded, it's instances like today that affirm it. And the best part is, he's only 21 years old.

Data source: TennisViz and Tennis Data.
 

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