Carlos Alcaraz: “No more pressure” before starting Roland-Garros

How does it feel to play Roland-Garros in the shoes of the world No. 1?
It’s obviously a little crazy to see my name as world No. 1 on a Grand Slam. At the same time, it’s fantastic. This is something for which I have worked a lot. But I don’t feel any more pressure before playing this tournament under this status.

How did you manage your preparation after your premature defeat in Rome? The fact of having had a few extra days to prepare for Roland-Garros is perhaps a good thing in the end?
I took a few days off, just to relax, with my family, my friends. I needed it. Then I trained for five days at the Academy, at home. It helped me a lot. Being away from tournaments, having more intense, more physical training sessions. By chaining the matches this year, I had not had more than four days to train. For me, this preparation time for Roland-Garros was beneficial.

His absence from Roland-Garros inevitably opens up the tournament a little more. Do you consider yourself the number one favourite?
No, I’m not saying I’m the No. 1 favourite, I’m just putting myself on the list of those who can win Roland-Garros, like many others. »