Alcaraz: "It has been a tough season"

Óscar Belloch | 21 Sep 2024 | 20.38

Carlos Alcaraz at the Laver Cup 2024. Photo: Getty

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Carlos Alcaraz smiled once again on the tennis court and won in his individual debut at the Laver Cup 2024, where he faced the talented American Ben Shelton (6-4 6-4). The Spaniard leveled the competition with two points, putting the score at 4-4. Despite performing well in the Davis Cup group stage and looking happy on the court again, he wanted to explain during the press conference what the keys were that were helping him regain confidence to face this end of the season for which he is very eager, although he did not hold back in evaluating the current management of the ATP with increasingly tight schedules.

- About Shelton's Level

Ben Shelton's weapon in his game is his serve, which sets him apart, a fact Alcaraz did not hesitate to mention: "It was a truly tough match, very solid from both of us. I am happy to have pulled it off because the level in this competition is very high. Against him, it is very important to play well on the return because he has an immense serve and is a very unpredictable player; suddenly he serves a 220-second serve, it's crazy. I played long rallies and a solid match on the return, and I'm happy to have been able to save the break points I faced with good shots. I knew I would have my chances if I stayed there and I tried to attack with my forehand. I think I did well".

- A Tight Season

It is quite evident that the season has taken its toll on the player from Murcia, especially mentally, so he wanted to explain his feelings: "It has been a tough season, I have played fewer tournaments than other players, but many matches. I have experienced new things like being injured and coming back to the circuit afterwards. The seasons become long physically and mentally, and these tournaments help me feel like myself on the court again. There are few commitments left until the end of the year, but I am very eager to gradually feel better".

Carlos wanted to be very adamant in referring to the calendar: "Many believe that this is a good calendar, but others think there are too many mandatory tournaments and there will probably be years with even more. In a way, they are killing us. Right now there are many players injured due to the calendar and other factors, but at some point, there will be players who will have to skip tournaments because they have to take care of their bodies, families, and other aspects of life besides tennis".

- His Daily Motivation

"It's hard to always be good. Sometimes I don't feel completely motivated and I have tough moments. There are no rest days, and sometimes I would like to take them, but I can't because I have commitments. I always want to win, but my best tennis comes out when I am well motivated. After the American tour, these team tournaments like the Davis Cup or the Laver Cup have been very good for me to regain confidence. Being with teammates is a unique experience and it helps a lot. For example, I always look at my team after almost every point because looking at Borg here or the rest of the teammates is helping me, and it's good for me. I am learning a lot from them, and a captain like Bjorn is a great support for me; he tells me tactics at all times, and a tournament like this is a unique experience".

No new match is scheduled, for now, for Carlos Alcaraz in this Laver Cup 2024, but he indicated he is ready if the team needs him: "If the team considers that I need to play tomorrow, I will".

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz alza la voz: “Nos están matando”

Carlos Alcaraz