Justine Henin has insisted that Carlos Alcaraz has plenty still to learn after crashing out of the Australian Open at the quarter-final stage.

She believes that he “fell into the same trap” as he did during his end to the 2023 season and will need to improve in order to repeat his US Open and Wimbledon victories.

“The level Zverev has reached is crazy,” Henin told Eurosport. “He completely dominated Carlos Alcaraz and came onto the court so aggressively. He smothered Alcaraz, and the Spaniard looked like he was in trouble.

“He was hoping for more after a complicated end to last season and a difficult defeat at the US Open. Today, he’s fallen into the same trap. When he can’t develop his creativity, when things don’t go his way, he loses himself tactically.

“Carlos Alcaraz still has a lot of learning to do. He won this third set thanks to a minor miracle, as Zverev tightened up a little. At that point, you wondered whether he was going to find the right structure to turn things around for him. That’s what he’s been lacking: stability and precision.

“Despite all his qualities, I think that’s what he needs to learn. Today, he was unable to react for almost three sets. There was a customer in front of him, but Alcaraz lost his way by trying to rush things, by playing too fast.”