Alcaraz acknowledges doubts about his physical condition: "Things are coming up"

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 26 Sep 2026 | 23:40
Carlos Alcaraz ATP Laver Cup 2026 Rueda de prensa

The Spaniard reaffirms his confidence in his tennis and admits he is not yet in top physical form after defeating Fritz at the 2026 Laver Cup. 

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Carlos Alcaraz talks about his physique at the Laver Cup. Photo: gettyimages

Carlos Alcaraz had a genuine mass bath at the Laver Cup 2026 during his match against Taylor Fritz, a true test of skill and physicality. The Spanish player emerged victorious and expressed his satisfaction at the press conference, but also stated that he is in the process of physical readjustment. 

Few tennis players in the world transmit as many sensations with their game as Carlos Alcaraz, but he also knows how to interpret everything experienced on the court very well. The Murcian increasingly reads the game and himself better, demonstrating this with some very interesting words in the press conference of the Laver Cup 2026, following his victory over Taylor Fritz.

This is how Carlos Alcaraz spoke at the Laver Cup 2026 after defeating Fritz

Importance of his teammates' support

"It's great because they remind me that this is not an individual match. I'm playing for my team and I'm also playing for them. Having them there, supporting me and cheering me on, and seeing them during some of those really stressful moments, helps me stay calm and think about what I need to do. It's amazing."

"I'm very happy for them and also very pleased to have achieved this victory for them because I think it was very important. Seeing how the day was going, getting this victory was important to give the team a lot of confidence and, obviously, more excitement to each match, to the doubles, and I would say to tomorrow's match."

Analysis of his match with Fritz

"To be honest, I wasn't surprised by Taylor's level. I think we both played great tennis. The speed of the ball and the intensity with which we were hitting in all aspects were really high."

"I think this court and these balls suit long rallies quite well, allowing more time to position yourself well and hit the ball at the right spot on the racket. I think that’s great for the fans."

"Regarding the level, I'm very happy to be able to play these kinds of matches, to see what my level is and also what I need to improve. I have noted a couple of things that I really wanted to practice in training."

"I leave the court very, very happy with everything I have done and, obviously, with the things I have been working on up to now. I did quite well today."

Room for physical improvement

"The week and a half or two weeks I had after the US Open were very important for me. I spent almost a week without touching the racket to properly recover my body after such physically demanding matches at the US Open. I also did a lot of physical work that I needed, to be honest."

"So right now, I’m gradually getting back to my normal pace, to my normal level, both in tennis and physically. The serve has been a very important weapon for me so far, so I have been practicing a lot and have made a couple of small changes. From what I’ve seen, no one has noticed, which is great, so it’s working."

Ruud's advice

"It was important. I think that’s what the Laver Cup brings, for the fans, for the people, and also for me. Players can approach the bench and give you tactical advice, and I think that’s great."

"Yes, he told me that I needed to stay calmer from the outside because they were seeing the exchanges really well. Sometimes, on the court, I feel very pressured and think I have to play too much, make big shots all the time when I don't need to."

"From the outside, he was seeing the match in a totally different way than I was seeing it. He told me I needed to be more positive because I was playing better than him, had better shots than him, so I needed to play smart, not try to play too much, and just get into the rhythm."

"Coming from a match tie-break and receiving that advice from a player like him was very important for me and helped me a lot."

Aspects to improve for the Asian tour

"Above all, physically we still need to keep playing intense matches like today. In terms of tennis, I think I'm at a good level. I have been improving little by little in each match we have played, and during the training weeks we have had, we have refined many details and many strokes, so right now I feel very confident."

"Physically I feel very good, but obviously, when you play many intense matches, small issues arise. I think that’s normal, and little by little we are refining that to get better. So let's hope that for the Asian tour we are at a very, very high level, both tennis-wise and physically."

Purpose of changing his on-court tactics

"I think I am a player who always likes to play big. Sometimes I look for the most difficult shot, sometimes the most beautiful for the people, and other times it is not necessary to reach that point."

"In the end, both the court and the balls are very slow conditions, so when the ball comes to me, I see it perfectly to be able to do a thousand things and I always opt for the most beautiful and, sometimes, for the least effective."

"I think that’s what we have to occasionally learn and improve. In the end, we don't always have to play big or always look for the shot above what the point needs. So little by little we will improve that."

Interesting reflections made by a Carlos Alcaraz who is fully aware that he needs to keep working on his physicality to reach his peak and that, sometimes, he needs to temper his desire to entertain and win quick points, tempering his aggressive instincts on the court. This Laver Cup 2026 is a perfect platform to test things out and gain confidence.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz reconoce dudas respecto a su físico: "Van saliendo cositas"