Alcaraz self-critiques: "I am far from where I want to be"

Andrés Tomás Rico - 4 Oct 2026 | 10:10
ATP Carlos Alcaraz ATP Tokio 2026

The Spaniard reached the semifinals of the ATP 500 in Tokyo, where he awaits Munar, after beating Shapovalov, but he warns: “I’m happy with how I feel on the court.”
 

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Carlos Alcaraz continues to search for his best level after more than four months of absence. It is true that he has been competing for a month without issues and reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, but his body and tennis need more hours on the court to regain all the automatisms. Until then, he will struggle in some tournaments, as is happening in the ATP 500 Tokyo, but in the meantime, he will continue to rely on his innate talent to keep advancing through the rounds.

The latest example was seen in his quarter-final match against Denis Shapovalov. Although the Canadian had to retire at the beginning of the second set (7-6(3); 2-1 RET), he was able to push the Spaniard to the limit, forcing him to defend a set point. While Shapovalov's strong set was also aided by Alcaraz's inconsistent serve, which he lost on three occasions.

Alcaraz explained his feelings after defeating Shapovalov in Tokyo

“I felt a bit frustrated with my serve. I couldn't find the right way to serve: I struggled a lot in almost every game when serving,” the Spaniard, ranked world number three, stated in his on-court interviews with TennisTV. “But I am happy with how I recovered after each break. It was a fantastic first set: great points and great exchanges,” he added.

And while the negative aspect was his serve, the positive was his return. In the instances when he lost serve, he was able to break back in the next game. As also happened in his matches against Alex Michelsen and Matteo Arnaldi, when the tennis does not cooperate, the immense talent he possesses allows him to escape situations that seem almost lost.

He also took the opportunity to lament Shapovalov's retirement: “It's a shame he had to retire. Advancing to a semi-final like this is not how I wanted to do it, but sometimes sports are tough. You have to accept it. I hope he can play in Shanghai in full condition.”

And before thinking about his match against compatriot Jaume Munar, the Spaniard wanted to reflect critically on his level: “My tennis is far from where I want to be. But I am doing great things on the court. I am practicing well. I am trying to do everything when I play matches. Because competition and practice are so different, and you have to find a way,” he confessed.

Still, he wanted to take the positives from this week in Tokyo, despite the inconsistency and difficulty in all his matches: “I am happy with the way I am playing. Happy with how I feel on the court. I hope the tournaments and matches ahead will be a great test for me. I am going to try to use it to improve and feel better on the court,” concluded a Carlos Alcaraz who, while pursuing his best level as the end of the season approaches, allows his talent and perseverance to keep him advancing in the ATP 500 Tokyo.
 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz hace autocrítica: "Estoy lejos de donde quiero estar"