Alcaraz is ambitious: "I would like to extend my career by ten or fifteen more years"

Carlos Alcaraz continues to soar over Flushing Meadows. The Spaniard is determined to make the impossible happen in New York, and his performance today against Tommy Paul catapults him directly into the forefront of title contenders. The superb tennis showcased by the player from Murcia easily tilted the match in his favor: already in the quarterfinals, it is the perfect time to take stock, recap, and reflect on his tennis feelings in this US Open 2026.

Not only that: the press conference of the Murcian after his victory in the round of 16 allowed us to hear him discuss one of the most talked-about statements he made this week, in which he made it clear that he will be taking breaks of one or two months over several seasons. What does he mean? Does he have something specific in mind? Carlitos talked about this and much more candidly.

Alcaraz reveals a hidden reason behind his "breaks" and analyzes his performance in the US Open 2026

On the level he showed today in a high-altitude victory against Tommy Paul

"I’m very happy to see where my level is right now. Beating Tommy Paul always gives you a very good reference point to see where you stand: I’m very happy with how I did everything today. I think I served very well. I read the game very well, did what I had to do at each moment, using the right things at the right times. Very happy, really. I hope to keep it up. I had to be a bit tough on myself, reminding myself that my serves can be better, but overall I’m content, I’m going to enjoy this moment."

What he is doing on his rest days during this US Open

"I’ve been very focused on recovery with my whole team, doing the right things, trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle off the court to be fit for the next round. Whether I’m training on my rest days or not, I try to stay relaxed and focused on the next round. Golf this year is not an option."

When he spoke about taking one or two month breaks during the season in the future, did he think about what time of year they would be and what his dream roadmap would look like?

"I don’t know. It depends. Tennis can be very unpredictable because you don’t know how many matches you are going to win, whether tournaments will last one or seven matches. You can never know for sure. It will depend on how I feel physically, how I feel mentally, if I need long breaks at the start, middle, or end of the season. I would like my career to be very long, lasting for the next 10 to 15 years, so I want to take care of my mental health and my body, no doubt. Right now I want to keep playing, but with such a long career... it will depend; what I’m sure of is that I will take those breaks."

After his break, how he approaches matches against the return and if he has changed anything in his positioning on that shot

"I’m trying to make my opponents think a little. Sometimes when you’re in or take a position, you don’t make them think about their serve. You go point by point and only think about your serve, not about the opponent. When you change your positioning on the return, moving back or forward, you make them feel or think about other things. In a way, you’re putting pressure on them. Sometimes it happens when I’m serving, I see that some opponents change their position, and then you think about making the right serve for each point. That’s what I think about, moving around the court when they serve, trying to be in the best possible position."

On the feeling of going to practice his forehand after his match against Wu and how to correct bad feelings in an area after a match

"I would say that for us tennis players, how you go to bed is very important, especially regarding feelings. When you win the match, especially when you win, but feel that you haven’t been hitting the ball well, it’s better to go to the practice courts and hit some balls for 5 or 10 minutes. Doing it when you’re not nervous or thinking about other things, just hitting the ball and leaving the stadium with a good feeling about hitting before the next round. That’s how I felt the other day. I left happy with my sensations when I left the practice court. Upon arriving here today, I think everyone has seen the difference in my forehand."

On the possibility of facing Shelton or Tsitsipas

"We’re seeing Tsitsipas very well lately: I think he is regaining his confidence. He’s a very dangerous player at his best level. Great forehand, great mobility: it’s going to be complicated to face him. The head-to-head makes it seem like I dominate every match against him, but it’s never going to be easy, I would have to be prepared. As for Shelton, he is a player with a lot of power. I think he feeds off the crowd and their support, especially when he is playing here at home. I’m excited to play in the quarterfinals, whether it’s against one or the other. I have to be ready. I will watch the match and approach it determined."

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz es ambicioso: "Me gustaría alargar mi carrera diez o quince años más"