Carlos Alcaraz’s Depth Revolution & Jessica Pegula’s Sustainable Ceiling
Carlos Alcaraz’s Doha title signals more than form — it signals evolution. We analyze how his depth control, tempo manipulation, and backhand assertion are redefining his dominance. His ability to gain time without sacrificing position may be the clearest modern separator at the top of the men’s game.
Jessica Pegula’s Dubai win presents a different model of excellence. Her “net-neutral” construction — no wasted movement, no volatility, no structural weaknesses — allows her game to travel week to week. Her ceiling is not explosive, but repeatable.
We also examine Jakub Mensik’s directional boldness, Arthur Fils’ stabilization, and a measured but serious assessment of Coco Gauff. The concern isn’t ranking. It’s technical direction — and whether elite players can recalibrate mechanics without stepping off the tour.
00:00 - Intro: Stacking Results & Tournament Grooves
10:53 - Carlos Alcaraz: Depth as the Modern Separator
17:15 - Backhand Evolution: From Shield to Weapon
21:00 - Jakub Mensik vs Sinner: Early Direction Changes
29:00 - Arthur Fils’ Return & Development Arc
32:00 - Jessica Pegula: “Net-Neutral” Sustainability
39:00 - Anisimova Litmus Test
42:00 - Coco Gauff: Direction vs Ranking
48:30 - Rebuilding Mid-Flight?
51:00 - Indian Wells Outlook & Close
Best of Three Podcast
[00:00] Alvin Owusu:
And welcome to another edition of the Best of Three podcast. I'm Alvin, that's Torrey. We are, we are in remote locations. I guess we're usually in remote locations, but today I'm in a very remote location, but that doesn't stop the tennis. And apparently location doesn't matter to either Jessica Pegula or Carlos Alcaraz because they've kind of gotten themselves both in a, well, I like to call a winning groove. But T.H., before we get into that, how are you doing?
[00:30] Torrey:
Man, I'm good, man. I'm good. I'm good. I was very happy to see my main man Arthur Fils back in action. You know what I'm saying? Happy to see JPEG pull one out. You know, it's always, you know, when some of your faves have some good tournaments, you know what I mean? It makes it even more enjoyable to watch. You know what I'm saying? And so was some good stuff. How about yourself?
[00:58] Alvin Owusu:
I'm enjoying it. So I'm here, I'm on vacation with my family up here in Eastern Canada, but have been able to keep up with the tennis. That's one of the nice things about having the downtime is you can kind of keep up at your own pace and it's been good.
These two particular results that we saw, Jessica Pegula winning the Dubai Masters 1000 and then Carlos taking the Doha 500 — on paper, obviously these are fantastic results for two fantastic players — but the parallel kind of for both of them is they are both in this groove, right?
Players get into grooves not only within, you know, at different levels, right? Within points, within matches, within a tournament. But now you're seeing tournament-to-tournament high-end results stacking. I remember Chris Paul used this phrase once, you know, you want to stack days. And I guess the same thing applies here to tennis. You want to stack days, you want to be able to stack weeks on weeks on weeks.
Jessica hasn't not — she's made the semifinals of every event dating all the way back until Cincinnati. Carlos, if you take Paris out, he's made the final of every event going all the way back until Miami of last year.
How as a coach do you see that from a standpoint? Like how does that translate to not just professional players, but also you see it with college players, right? They get into a rhythm. You see it with junior players. Sometimes if they do it right. How does that strike you from a development standpoint?
[02:20] Torrey:
Yeah, I think first of all, it's pretty rare, you know what I mean? At all levels. A player can get into a groove and win a tournament, right? But to see it continue is rare.
The tennis part is the easy part because you're playing well. I think the hard part is the scheduling of it going forward. You’re almost always three to six months out on scheduling if you're a pro. Once you get into tournaments consistently, then you can start planning your year further out.
But maintaining it? That's extremely difficult. People don't understand how hectic the pro schedule is. You finish a semifinal or final, catch a flight Saturday, and your next event starts Monday. Different time zone, different food, different everything. You're back on court within 48 hours.
Maintaining that for four, five, six tournaments? Months? That’s what it means to be a professional.
[07:10] Alvin Owusu:
So with Jessica, that's a good point. Carlos' run has covered multiple surfaces. Clay to grass to hard to indoor back to outdoor. That’s weird and different.
Jessica’s has been more concentrated on hard court, but she spaced it well. Skipped Doha. Managed schedule. Carlos did the same — skipped Rotterdam this year and came into Doha fresh.
And he looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.
That brings me to the micro-evolutions in Carlos' game.
[10:53] Alvin Owusu:
The one thing I've been extremely impressed with lately is his ability to almost hit an 85% forehand that has a lot of shape, a lot of depth, obviously a lot of spin. It almost lulls opponents into thinking they can stay in that crosscourt rally — and then boom, injection of pace.
And the backhand has gone from shield to second sword.
What has been your read on the micro improvements?
[13:10] Torrey:
His depth is extraordinary. It's not just that he's hitting heavier. His depth — when he defends, same depth. When he attacks, same depth. Players are playing behind the lettering on the back wall because of him.
Second thing — time manipulation. He knows when to come forward. Knows when to take balls early. His serve and volley might be some of the best on tour right now. He manipulates time so well.
It's like every day his coaches are saying, good — can you do it better?
[17:15] Alvin Owusu:
The backhand evolution — he’s dictating off that side now.
[18:40] Alvin Owusu:
Khachanov took a set — that big profile gives him some trouble sometimes. But down the stretch, Carlos just had more.
[21:00] Alvin Owusu:
Jakub Mensik versus Sinner — interesting early line changes. Striking off the backhand early.
[23:15] Torrey:
He changed direction early and often. Didn’t let Sinner get into rhythm crosscourt. But against Carlos, you have to find transition. You can’t just bang at that level. You have to buy time somewhere.
There are really only two ways to come in now. Off a wide serve where you see the open face block. Or when you stretch someone wide and see them exposed.
Carlos has turned that into an art form.
[26:35] Torrey:
You’ve got to come forward more at that level. If you’re just banging from the baseline, you run out of options.
[29:00] Alvin Owusu:
Arthur Fils — third tournament back. Lost to Carlos, Felix, De Minaur. All top players. Looks reestablished at level.
[31:40] Alvin Owusu:
Let’s take a quick break and come back to the women’s side.
[32:00] Alvin Owusu:
All right, and we're back. Jessica Pegula — it's a testament to her how boring her results have become.
On a bad day, she’s five in the world. If one through four don’t show up, give her the trophy.
There is no waste. Net-neutral tennis.
[34:45] Torrey:
Her depth is so good. She manages the court well. No weaknesses. Underrated serve. If you hit something slightly weak, she steps in and counter-punishes.
She’s renewable energy tennis. Sustainable.
[39:00] Alvin Owusu:
Amanda Anisimova — good litmus test. High risk, high reward. Pegula’s margin is tighter.
[42:00] Alvin Owusu:
We have to talk about Coco Gauff.
Losses happen. But it’s the way they’re happening.
[45:00] Torrey:
What if she’s more Andy Murray than Serena? Still phenomenal. Always a threat. But maybe not dominant week to week.
[48:30] Alvin Owusu:
Difference is Murray lost to excellence. Coco is sometimes losing to patterns.
You can’t build the plane while you’re flying it.
[51:00] Alvin Owusu:
Indian Wells coming up. Sunshine Double ahead.
Best of Three — we are out.
End of Transcript
