Carlos Alcaraz’s season may not have started as planned, but the Spanish star is turning things around. After struggling to meet expectations in recent tournaments, Alcaraz has reached the Monte-Carlo Masters final, where he will face Lorenzo Musetti. In the aftermath of his semifinal victory, Alcaraz addressed how Jannik Sinner’s absence from competition has impacted him.
Speaking to the media after his 7-6, 6-4 win over fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Alcaraz revealed that Sinner’s suspension has increased the pressure on him to deliver results. He admitted that the weight of these expectations had, at times, prevented him from playing his best tennis.
“Since Jannik hasn’t been able to play tournaments, a lot of people have asked me about it and talked about it, about how important a time it is for me to reach No 1 again or to win tournaments,” said Alcaraz.
“Probably, in a way, I’ve been thinking about it too much instead of playing good tennis and enjoying myself on the court and in the matches,” he reflected. “After Miami, I realized the path I have to follow, the things I have to do. I don’t have to think about the results or anything else, I just have to have fun”.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain is congrateulated by his opponent Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain after their semi final match. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The 19-year-old emphasized the importance of tuning out external expectations. “That’s the most important thing for me, and not paying attention to expectations or what people say about you. That’s what I’m trying to do, and I think it’s going well for me so far,” Alcaraz continued. “Today was the best match I’ve played so far in this tournament. I didn’t let him get in, dominate, and come back. I showed my good tennis throughout the match”.
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Alcaraz believes his game can improve further
Despite his satisfaction with his current form, Alcaraz acknowledged that he sees room for improvement. He noted that the Monte-Carlo Masters has been a key part of his preparation for the clay-court season.
“I’m happy to have reached this level, but I think I can do better,” he admitted. “At the beginning of the week, with the first clay-court tournament, you focus on adapting to the conditions. The ball comes to you differently, the game on clay is different. Once I’ve reached this level, I have to keep improving and, if possible, raise it in the final”.
Alcaraz reflects on his semifinal victory
The Spaniard also shared his thoughts on his performance against Davidovich Fokina, expressing satisfaction with his consistency and physical condition.
“I think I played really good tennis from the beginning until the last point,” Alcaraz noted. “I tried to take the chances he gave me in the match. He saved a lot of break points and match points, but I’m really happy to [have] thought about myself. The most important thing is that I’m feeling great physically”.
