Since he left Buenos Aires in February of last year after winning the Buenos Aires ATP, dazzling with his creativity on the court, the life – career – of the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz It was an increasingly accelerating roller coaster. He won five other trophies, including Wimbledon, the most prestigious of all. She established herself as an illustrious attraction for the public of the rackets, brands and tournaments. “He is a tennis player who generates addiction,” said tennis glory Mats Wilander.
He definitely transcended the borders of El Palmar, the town of 24,000 inhabitants in Murcia, in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, where he was born 20 years ago. He also suffered the pressure of the very high expectations created by himself and had no qualms in recognizing that the cramps suffered in some of his thorniest battles were a product of his nerves, such as when he said goodbye to Roland Garros in the semifinals against Novak Djokovic.
In just one season, many things happened to the current number 2 in the ranking (number 1 for 36 weeks in the 2022-23 period). He also finished flourishing, as if he were a stone in the shoe, someone who intends to compete head to head and who has the same objectives, like the Italian Jannik Sinner (22 years old; winner from Australia). But Carlos (Charly to his people) did not lose his essence, his joy, his ambition, his discipline. On the contrary: this is just beginning. Goes for (much) more.
He is again in Buenos Aires as the top seed of the Argentina Open, the second of the four clay-court tournaments on the South American tour and, logically, nothing is the same with him. His presence marks the pulse of the halls of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club (BALTC).
After his elimination in the quarterfinals in Australia, on January 24, against Alexander Zverev, he rested for a handful of days and began to dye his socks orange by training on the brick dust of the Real Murcia Tennis Club 1919. He arrived in Argentina last Saturday night, with time to adapt to the heat and humidity: he debuted on Thursday, beating local Camilo Ugo Carabelli (6-2 and 7-5). And on Friday he beat the Italian Andrea Vavassori 7-6 (1) and 6-1 and reached the semi-finals of the tournament.
He arrived accompanied by six people, among them his father, Carlos Alcaraz González, who was a professional tennis player: he was 761st in doubles, in 1991. Also by Álvaro, one of his brothers. And for the 'Mosquito', Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world number 1, main coach and winner of the Buenos Aires ATP in 2010.
Don't lose your sympathy, Carlitos; Not even the storm that poured over the city bothered him. Before training on one of the BALTC auxiliary fields with the British Cameron Norrie (second seed and his “victim” in last year's Buenos Aires final), he walked through the bowels of the club to the press room, where dozens of journalists. He stopped to take photographs to The nation and continued on his way. After twelve minutes of answers, she sat down in another room on the property with this medium.
He made the extraordinary something normal and everything travels very quickly. How do you deal with this process and the whirlwind, especially when you suffer a downturn, such as leaving Australia in the quarterfinals?
Yes, well, I think that psychologically I am…, I am strong, I am mature, I have a lot left. Obviously I am 20 years old, but today I consider myself a mentally strong person, who deals very well with the situations that have come my way so far. Obviously there are ups and downs, there are times when you feel better, there are times when you feel worse and you have to know how to handle it. It is part of life, not only of sport, but of life in general, so we try to get out of those downturns as quickly as possible and continue on our path, because we are very clear about what the objective is. The goal is to continue going for everything and continue making history.
Well, it has been a very abrupt change, I'm not going to lie. It's exciting, yes. But we try to normalize it as much as possible.
What is the most exciting thing about having gone in such a short time from your town square to the top of the world, to five-star hotels and to be treated like a true star?
Well, it has been a very abrupt change, I'm not going to lie. It's exciting, yes. But we try to normalize it as much as possible. I know it is true that it is very difficult for my family, for me too, it is difficult to normalize the life that we are leading right now, as you have said, of a child who, from not leaving El Palmar much or being almost always at home, became travel around the world, meet people you admire, famous people in all their fields and be friends with them, right? It's like…, difficult to deal with it, but as I said: we try to normalize it as much as possible and not let it affect us, obviously for the tennis issue, and take it as something positive.
What is its ground pole?
Being in my house. When I come home it's like… The room is the same, it's the same as always, the same house, everything the same. I don't know, when I go with my friends I do practically the same thing, I go to restaurants, I pick up the food. I don't know, simple things for a normal person. I don't mind doing it.
What else happens to your tastes when you return to El Palmar? Does his mother, Virginia, spoil him with her favorite food?
Clear. It's wonderful, its food is wonderful, really. I'm not going to deny it to you: the barbecue my mother makes is very good.
Just as Roger Federer was his reference, today the situation turned around and he became an inspiring element for children who play, such as for his brother Jaime (12 years old), and also for the tennis market, which exalts him as one of the substitutes for the 'Big 3' (Djokovic, Federer and Nadal). How do you assume that commitment?
Well, the truth is that for me it is incredible to have become a person who inspires young people, people who play…, and not only those who practice tennis or athletes, but in life in general. Trying to convey good values, trying to convey that nothing is impossible, that they fight for their dreams, that they seek to do something, that they do not stand still waiting for opportunities to come to them, but rather that they try to go out and look for them. I think that's very nice. In the end, I was never going to imagine at 12 or 13 years old that I was going to be number one in the world at 19, that I was going to win two grand slams at 20. But in the end I pursued it, I fought for it and that This is what I also want to convey to young people.
Many times it gives the feeling that he is not satisfied with winning the point and that the definition has to be like a movie, even though sometimes it takes away energy and fails. Are you working on being more practical or being creative by nature will you stay that way?
It comes naturally to me. At some points I look for it and think about it. When you make one of those beautiful points it is very good. Some incredible punch gives you energy. Your mood rises, your energy rises; Indeed, it propels you upwards. And obviously also the public, who appreciates it, enjoys seeing those types of hits. That is what also attracts people who go to tennis, when there are wonderful points, long points or with incredible shots, and it is something that we try to do to attract more audiences to our sport.
Educated and attentive, this young man with a faded haircut assumes the responsibility that his word is heard in the circuit. Beyond his talk with The nationAlcaraz had time to refer, for those who wanted to hear it in the press room, to other topics.
His presence, for the second consecutive year, on the South American ATP tour.
“It's true that last year I came because I didn't have any games, because I didn't play in Australia and I hadn't competed for a while. But I loved it. I had been wanting to come to Buenos Aires for a long time, Juan Carlos (Ferrero) won here, many Spaniards had won and they had told me that it was a very nice tournament. I was able to experience it, the people are wonderful, it was an incredible tournament and I wanted to return this year. The vibrations experienced here are special, the energy is special. To the people who stay in Europe, especially those who have not come to the South American tour, I would tell them to also try it, to come and live the experience of playing here. “I'm sure he won't let you down.”
Its current events. “My level is very good, I feel very confident, playing at a high level. I come from playing great tennis in Australia. The days that I was able to train on land have been very good and physically I feel very good, so we will see how it goes in Buenos Aires.”
Djokovic and Sinner. “Today they are the rivals to beat, for me and for everyone. All matches are tough, all rivals can make your matches difficult. Zverev, for example, has the head to head (5-3) in his favor against me, he is a rival that I have very much in mind, but it is true that Djokovic and Sinner are at the top right now.”
The arrival of Saudi Arabia to tennis. “It is good for tennis that there are more venues, that there are more and more countries where we can play. Saudi Arabia is evolving very quickly in every way, as a country and in the world of sports. They are betting on football, boxing, now a lot on tennis. “I don't know how far they will go in the world of tennis.”
For me it is a dream to wear a medal for my country and gold is one of the greatest things in sport in general. This year, if given the choice, I would prefer to win Olympic gold.”
Win Roland Garros or Olympic gold in Paris 2024? “I would say the Olympic title. For me it is a dream to wear a medal for my country and gold is one of the greatest things in sport in general. This year, if given the choice, I would prefer to win Olympic gold. Although I would win both…”
How to avoid new injuries. “At the level of routines I didn't change much, I improved some. Off the court is something very important that later influences your daily tennis life on the court and it is something that I am improving. When it comes to injuries, nutrition, rest, etc. are very important. It's something that maybe before… it's logical because of my age, I missed it a little bit (smiles) and I didn't do it completely correctly and little by little I improved it. I think that with those little things and being more organized off the court, injuries will be avoided, for sure. It's something I keep in mind for this year.”
Next objectives. “I am a very competitive and ambitious boy, I always want to win at everything, that is what drives me to continue training at the highest level, go to tournaments with great enthusiasm, to have the desire to continue winning. Seeing Nole up there and the rest of the tennis players who are winning also motivates me to try to be at the same level or, speaking of the Big 3, to get closer. I am a boy who dreams big, I am very ambitious. “I always look and set my sights on the best in the world, the best in history, and that is what motivates me every day.”
SEBASTIAN TOROK
LA NACIÓN – (ARGENTINA) – GDA
#39It #incredible #person #inspires #young #people39 #Alcaraz
