Alcaraz lost to Alexander Zverev in the last eight in 2024, having made it past the third round for the first time in his young career.

The Spaniard was able to quickly put his struggles in Melbourne behind him, as he enjoyed another stellar year on the ATP Tour.

Alcaraz won the French Open for the first time in his career, exacting revenge on his German rival from earlier in the year as he beat Zverev in five sets in the final.

He then beat Novak Djokovic in the final at SW19, as Alcaraz won his second consecutive Wimbledon title.

Having now won three of the four Majors available, Alcaraz has made a big change this off-season as he looks to finally get his hands on the Australian Open title.

Carlos Alcaraz’s coach Samuel Lopez says they have given him a ‘heavier racket’ for the 2025 season

Speaking to Marca, Alcaraz’s coach Samuel Lopez explained why the Spaniard will be using a racket with a five-gram heavier neck in 2025.

“It’s an additional help in hitting,” he said.

“With that acceleration that he has, he’s going to gain in power and ball weight.

“With his impact quality, with a heavier racquet, just by touching the ball in front of you, you take more advantage of the force of how it comes to you.

“It’s been very noticeable these days in the return.”

A modification to the neck of his racket isn’t the only change that Lopez and Alcaraz’s team have made ahead of the new year, as Marca also reports that they have experimented with different strings.

Equipment changes aren’t uncommon on the ATP Tour, as Alcaraz’s rival Sinner tested different rackets in October last year before winning the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup.

The 21-year-old will hope his adjustments lead to similar successes as he looks to win a maiden Australian Open title later this month.

Was Carlos Alcaraz’s return a problem in 2024?

Lopez seems to have noticed improvements in Alcaraz’s return following the change in rackets but was the return really an issue in 2024?

The four-time Major champion is perhaps best known for his returns, chasing down shots that many of his ATP rivals couldn’t dream of reaching.

The data shows that Alcaraz was in fact the second-best returner on the ATP Tour this year, behind only Alex de Minaur.

Leading his biggest rival Sinner in three of the four main return metrics will be positive news for the Spaniard, especially if his latest change can grow that margin even wider.

It remains to be seen who will be the best returner in 2025, but Alcaraz will certainly hope to show off his talents at the Australian Open which begins on January 12.

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