Alcaraz: "In decisive moments, I play a lot on instinct, I don't think that's good"

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 2 Apr 2025
Carlos Alcaraz ATP

Spanish people reflect on key aspects of their personal and professional lives, addressing topics such as the pressure they feel or how they face challenging moments.

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Carlos Alcaraz reflects on his style. Photo: gettyimages

Knowing what lies behind one of the great figures of the current and future world of sports is always interesting. Carlos Alcaraz sat down to chat with one of the companies he represents, Louis Vuitton, and shared very insightful reflections that are worth analyzing. These reflections give us an idea of how special one must be to achieve so much success at such a young age, especially in a sport like tennis.

The interview was recorded in December, but the mindset and worldview conveyed by Carlos Alcaraz are completely independent of that timing. The Spaniard is aware of his position, constantly reaffirms that he is living a great dream, and strives to help the listeners understand the complex challenges faced as a professional tennis player. Particularly interesting are his words about his family and Juan Carlos Ferrero, as well as a shy tactical adjustment, sparking an important debate on playing style.

- Importance of Juan Carlos Ferrero and his environment

"I am a very competitive guy, I don't like to lose to anyone or anything." With this firm statement, the conversation between Carlos Alcaraz and Loïc Prigent begins, brimming with headlines. They meet at the tennis club in Murcia where Carlos developed his game. "This place is where it all started, I met my friends here, used to play with my father on weekends, and fell in love with this sport," he comments.

One of the most touching moments of the interview occurs when asked about the importance of Juan Carlos Ferrero in his life and why his father never wanted to be his coach. "I remember between the ages of 12 and 14 when people started to notice that I was good and doing things right, but it's thanks to Juan Carlos that I am here. We started traveling together to many tournaments when I was just 15, spent a lot of time together, and I learned a lot from him, both on and off the court," he explains.

"At 17, I was already aware of many things crucial for success, and my father's passion for tennis was also key for me. When I was 8 or 9, he completely stopped coaching me; we only spent some time on the court together on weekends at my request. However, he always made it clear that he wanted to separate his roles as a father and a coach," the player clarifies before shifting focus to other aspects.

- The role of being a professional tennis player

Experiencing as much as Alcaraz has at only 21 makes one grow up fast and grasp important things clearly. "For me, the most important thing in the world is to be a good person and show kindness to others. I want to inspire children, just as Nadal and Federer did for me. They were my idols, and I always saw them as very approachable and pleasant people," he comments.

"Tennis has changed a lot in the last 20 years; we play at a much higher pace, and I believe the sport will keep evolving. I think I can change behavioral patterns on the court, as well as off it," he states before highlighting that his smile can be "a weapon against opponents because I play my best when I'm having fun, and that's when my best tennis flows." He also emphasizes that training methods and self-care may evolve over time.

- Playing style and managing pressure and tough moments mentally

This is where Alcaraz delves the most into his explanations and drops pearls of wisdom that invite contemplation. "I want to be an aggressive player, aiming for big shots, coming to the net. I have always believed it is essential to have confidence in oneself, to think that you can beat anyone, and to bravely face the pressure in adverse situations. When I get nervous, I remind myself to stay true to my style, no matter what," he acknowledges.

"Of course, there are moments when I don't enjoy being on the court because dealing with pressure can be tough, but then I remind myself that I am living the dream I had as a child. I always wanted to be part of the history of this sport. There are matches where I lose and leave proud of my performance, while others take a few days to accept because the frustration from losing is high. What is clear is that you learn more from defeats than victories," he points out.

There has been much talk about Carlos Alcaraz's mental lapses in some matches, as well as his lack of consistency during a season. He does not shy away from that discussion and offers intriguing reflections. "It's important to accept that you won't always play well and keep trying. Facing adversity and striving for things that are challenging. My trick is to emulate what the best in history have always done," he remarks.

"At times, I've experienced situations where I'm winning a match, feeling good, and then I lower the intensity and end up losing. I've learned a lot from that. I think many times I play by instinct in critical moments, go with what I feel, and that's not good; perhaps I need to follow a strategy," states Carlos Alcaraz, who will kick off the clay court season with many challenges ahead, eager to see if these reflections, though made months ago, still hold relevance in the near future.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz: "En momentos decisivos juego mucho por instinto, creo que eso no es bueno"