"Alcaraz wins and has fun, but... how long will it last?"

Pedro de Pablos | 26 Feb 2026 | 20.35

Streaming ATP Dubai live tennis

🎾 Andrey Rublev vs Tallon Griekspoor

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Carlos Alcaraz is the most in-form tennis player on the circuit. The Spanish tennis player has not been defeated in 2026 yet, with a streak of 12 consecutive victories that make him seem unbeatable today. One of the latest to speak on this matter was Vincenzo Santopadre, who has questioned whether he can maintain this motivation for an extended period.

Now that Jannik Sinner is not going through his best moment, the ATP ranking number one has established himself as the master of the circuit, sweeping aside any player in his path. However, the former Matteo Berrettini coach granted an interview to Corriere Dello Sport in which he raised this question as the only doubt he has about Alcaraz, later praising his qualities and the maturity he has shown when facing challenging moments.

"Alcaraz wins and has fun, but there is still a question mark. How long will it last? It's clear that he enjoys himself on the court, training, and playing a tournament. He doesn't have fun just to win; that would be too easy. He enjoys what he does. The only question mark is how long all of this will last," he stated. These statements align with Carlos' own words in his Netflix documentary, although several months later, it has been proven that Alcaraz's hunger to win has not only persisted but has grown.

Santopadre compares Alcaraz's era with the 'Big Three'

Santopadre believes that the success of the 'Big Three' was also a result of being part of the same generation, although today Alcaraz also finds Sinner as his nemesis. "The greatness of Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal lies in continuing to have great motivation despite all the trophies they lifted to the sky. This is the only question mark because he plays very well and is very complete. The good ones take advantage of low moments to bounce back higher. Alcaraz has also matured in how he faces difficulties," he added.

Beyond this issue, the Italian coach is certain that something has changed in Carlos' mentality, which is why he has reached 7 Grand Slams at just 22 years old. "He won tough matches in Australia against Djokovic and Alexander Zverev. In Doha, apart from the final, he played several very contested sets. He now deals well with difficulties. The statistics have not changed: it's a very solid figure," he concluded.

The answer to this question lies only with the Spanish tennis player, who is currently setting records at a dizzying pace. If nothing goes wrong, Alcaraz is destined to make history in the king sport of the racket. In fact, he has already done so, and he has many years ahead of him. Every day, he is seen happier on the court and, above all, more mature in overcoming those moments where it's not about having fun, but about relying on experience to pull through the matches.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Alcaraz gana y se divierte, pero... ¿cuánto durará?"