Patrick Mouratoglou has provided insight into the adjustments Carlos Alcaraz has made to his serve and assessed how these changes are impacting his game as the Spaniard heads into the 2025 season.
In preparation for the upcoming year, Alcaraz made significant modifications to both his serving technique and racket specifications. These changes were part of his meticulous approach to refining his game.
During the Australian Open, the world No. 3, who has already claimed four Grand Slam titles, emphasized the importance of evolving as a player and making adjustments. “You have to change things, of course,” he noted. “Jannik [Sinner] has said the same—he changed things in the preseason that may not be immediately visible, but he feels a difference.” He continued, “To stay at the top, you must constantly adapt to new demands and tweak little things to remain competitive or even improve.”
Alcaraz further explained the reasoning behind the changes to his serve, acknowledging it as an area requiring enhancement. “We knew the serve needed improvement, so we had to make a change,” he said. “It had to be more accurate, as I wasn’t quite achieving that.” The young Spaniard revealed that his revised serve involves a more relaxed movement, with a looser wrist to help with timing. This adjustment eliminates the previous pause at the top of his swing, resulting in a smoother and more fluid motion.
He reflected on the broader impact of these changes during matches: “It also affects my play in matches. I’m less tense, which is crucial, as that tension can take a toll on your body over time.”
In a detailed Instagram post, Mouratoglou, who currently works with Naomi Osaka and has a rich history of coaching top players like Serena Williams and Stefanos Tsitsipas, shared his analysis of Alcaraz’s updated service technique. He compared images of the young Spaniard’s serving form at the Australian Open in 2024 and 2025 to highlight the improvements.
Mouratoglou pointed out two key observations in the photos: “First, I notice how high his right leg is kicking up, and second, I see how far back his left arm extends after the serve.” He explained that these changes reflect the looseness and relaxation in Alcaraz’s movement. “What does that tell us? It shows how relaxed he is. There’s no muscular tension holding him back from letting his leg rise and his arm stretch fully.”
Mouratoglou went on to emphasize how critical this newfound fluidity is for generating power: “This is fantastic because, when you want to generate power, you need relaxation. It’s one of the reasons why he’s able to hit with such force.” He also praised Alcaraz’s use of the left arm, adding, “I’ve always said that it’s crucial to allow the left arm to swing to the side when serving. This natural movement helps rotate the body, and that rotation is key to producing natural power.”
Through these changes, Alcaraz’s serve is becoming more powerful and efficient, and his overall game is benefiting from the relaxed, fluid motion he’s now incorporating into his technique.