"Rafael Nadal had a bad injury early on, and he always had injuries" - Carlos Alcaraz at risk of having injury-prone career, says Andrea Petkovic

Former WTA pro Andrea Petkovic believes it may not always be smooth sailing for Carlos Alcaraz given how he has already suffered serious injuries at the age of 20.

Alcaraz, ranked second in the world currently, announced himself to the tennis universe by winning the 2022 US Open in scintillating fashion. Although the Spaniard backed up that triumph with a Wimbledon title in 2023, he has had a fair share of woes along the way.

Carlos Alcaraz couldn't play the ATP Finals last year due to an abdominal injury. The 20-year-old subsequently pulled out of the 2023 Australian Open citing a right leg injury, which also seemingly contributed to his Rio Open final defeat to Cameron Norrie in February.

The Spaniard then had a relatively untroubled period on the ATP tour before unexpectedly suffering a right calf cramp against Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the 2023 French Open. He was, again, far from his physical best in the post-US Open swing, looking deflated during many of his matches.

Former World No. 9 Andrea Petkovic and Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs recently delved into the phenomenon of early-career injuries, on the latter's podcast. Petkovic claimed that a player is likely to suffer recurring injuries if their physical conditioning is compromised early on.

"I have observed the thing with athletes, with colleagues that I've been next to for past 20 years. When someone has an injury very early on in their career, it seems to just keep bothering them in the same place. But I think it's when you're still growing," Petkovic said. (51:30)

The 36-year-old was then asked by Stubbs whether she was worried about Carlos Alcaraz, to which she responded in the affirmative. Petkovic illustrated her point by drawing a comparison between the World No. 2 and Rafael Nadal with respect to their knack for picking up injuries.

"I am [worried about Alcaraz]! Same with Rafa, Rafa had a bad injury early on, and he always had injuries. If you look at someone like Djokovic, Roger... they were never injured. I do think if you're unlucky at the beginning of your career, while you're still growing with a big injury, it tends to come bite you back in the a**," the German said.

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Carlos Alcaraz had a strong 2023 season despite his injuries

Carlos Alcaraz poses with the Wimbledon trophy

Carlos Alcaraz put together a career-best season in 2023, compiling a 65-12 win/loss record. The highlights of the Spaniard's year were winning big titles at Wimbledon, Indian Wells and Madrid, and raking in more than $10 million in prize money.

The 20-year-old also won three other lower-tier titles - at the Barcelona Open, the Queen's Club Championships, and the Argentina Open. Apart from tournament victories, he enjoyed an impressive 11-6 win/loss record against the men's top 10.

Alcaraz will now be looking to get in top shape for the 2024 Australian Open. It will be his first Happy Slam outing since his third-round exit to Matteo Berrettini in the 2022 edition of the tournament.