Alcaraz gives honest answer about struggles at Queen’s Club: ‘I honestly still don’t know how I’m here’

On Thursday, Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare at Queen’s Club. Facing World No. 59 Jaume Munar in the Round of 16, he came dangerously close to an early exit. That’s why, after the match, the Spanish superstar was refreshingly honest when reflecting on his performance.

“I struggled mentally and physically. I honestly still don’t know how I’m here now,” Alcaraz admitted in his on-court interview, shared by the official ATP Tour website. “I’m just really happy to give myself another chance in the quarter-finals.”

Carlos had taken the first set 6-4 and appeared to be on track for a routine win. However, Munar fought back with grit, claiming the second set 7-6 and pushing the World No. 2 to dig deep for a dramatic 7-5 finish in the decider.

“It was a really tough battle that we had today,” said Alcaraz, before giving credit to Munar for his relentless effort. “Jaume is a great competitor, I think he showed how difficult it is to beat him.”

Jaume Munar of Spain

Despite the tough moments throughout the match, Carlos expressed confidence in his level. “I’m just proud of the level I played, it’s my second match on grass this year. There were a lot of things going on, but I’m really happy,” he said.

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What’s next for Alcaraz?

After his hard-fought win over Munar, Carlos Alcaraz has booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 at Queen’s Club. His next test should, on paper, be more manageable: he’ll face World No. 80 Arthur Rinderknech on Friday morning. The Frenchman has been in strong form, earning wins over notable opponents like Ben Shelton and Corentin Moutet.

The winner between Alcaraz and Rinderknech will move on to the semifinals to face either Holger Rune or Roberto Bautista Agut. The other quarter-final matchups, also scheduled for Friday, will feature Jiri Lehecka vs Jacob Fearnley and Brandon Nakashima vs Jack Draper.

Alcaraz beginning his grass season

Thursday’s match marked only the second grass-court appearance of the year for Carlos Alcaraz. Following a successful clay season—with titles in Monte-Carlo, Rome, and Roland Garros—the Spanish star is now transitioning to the grass swing that leads into Wimbledon.

Alcaraz enters the stretch as the defending champion at the All England Club, having won the Wimbledon title in both 2023 and 2024. His only other title on grass came at Queen’s Club in 2023.