Carlos Alcaraz has already accomplished a lot in the sport, having won four Grand Slam titles, a stint at the ATP No.1, and global superstardom. But the 21-year-old having reached the pinnacle of tennis, approaches the sport with an attitude of his own. He revealed that he’s not obsessed with being the best in the world.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic have already been placed among the best players to ever grace the tennis court. The three legends earned their place in the prestigious position by consistent performance and winning. Alcaraz, who has won 17 tour-level titles has been dubbed to reach their heights.
However, the Spaniard is just 21 and doesn’t want to be pressured about that. In recent weeks, the pressure to win titles saw him fumble when it mattered most. The World No.3 failed to defend the Indian Wells title and then suffered a first-round defeat against David Goffin at the Miami Open.
He’s now looking to enjoy the tennis journey rather than the constant thought about being the best player in the sport. Nonetheless, that doesn’t remove the fact that he’s not dreaming of becoming a great tennis player.
I’m not obsessed with being the best in the world. I was number one a few years ago, and I was happy. Now I’m number three, and I’m just as happy. I’m enjoying the journey, the sport, and life. I’ve always said I’d like to be the greatest in history and have a seat at the Big Three’s table, but that’s a big statement — not an obsession. And I always say I’d love to be remembered as an inspiration for the younger generations, and as someone who had fun doing what he loved most, with a smile on his face and making people enjoy it too.
Carlos Alcaraz said via GQ Spain
Alcaraz has also declared his intention to become the World No.1 this season but also revealed he is no longer obsessed about it. The Spaniard sits as World No.3 in the ATP rankings, while his arch-rival Jannik Sinner is No.1.
Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes of World No.1 almost impossible before Jannik Sinner’s return
Carlos Alcaraz hopes to regain the World No.1 position before Jannik Sinner’s comeback from suspension looks highly impossible. The Spaniard will begin his clay court season at Monte Carlo, where he will earn 1,000 ATP points if he claims the title. Out of his 17 career titles, seven of them have come on clay.
However, realistically speaking, Alcaraz will need to win more than four consecutive tournaments to overtake Sinner in the No.1 position. He would have to earn 1000 points in Monte Carlo and Madrid, respectively, then 500 points in Barcelona and the BMW Open. This will earn him a total of 3,000 points, where he needs 3,610 points.
After the BMW Open is the Italian Open, which is scheduled to start on May 7 in Rome. Sinner is expected to make his comeback there. Nonetheless, Alcaraz still has a chance to regain the world No.1 at some point this season if he can make sure he gets closer to the Italian by winning titles.
Carlos Alcaraz says everything has evolved since becoming professional player
Carlos Alcaraz made his ATP debut in 2020 and has since then been catapulted to tennis stardom. The Spaniard made a name for himself after winning the 2022 US Open and finished the year as World No.1. During an interview, he revealed that his life has changed since turning professional.
More than changing, I’d say evolving. Even though I’m still very young, I came into the circuit as just a kid. During this time, I’ve learned a bit about how everything (…) The day I stop evolving, we’ll be in trouble.
Carlos Alcaraz said
Alcaraz will open his clay season at the Monte Carlo Masters. He earned a first-round bye due to his ranking position, so he will play Francisco Cerundolo in the second round. The Spaniard holds a 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record.
