Carlos Alcaraz was worrying just a few days ago with his withdrawal from the ATP Rio Open 2024 match due to a sprained ankle. Although the fear of not being able to be in the exhibition appeared at first, the Murcian is more than prepared for his next test.
That injury seems to be almost over, as Carlos himself explains: “The ankle is doing very well. The time has been short,” Alcaraz clarifies, as reported by Marca. “I have worked every day since it happened to arrive prepared for the Netflix game. The sensations have been improving,” says the current world number 2, who explains that he feels well. Only eleven days have passed since that scare on February 21, although the Murcian has shortened the usual deadlines for an injury like the one he suffers.
His first test will be that exhibition match in Las Vegas against Rafael Nadal, with whom he has already faced three times, with a head to head favorable for the Balearic: “It is always nice, we have had two good battles and the first one better not remember it,” says Carlitos between laughs. “It is a good preparation for Indian Wells to see what we have to improve, where our level is and to continue learning from it. It is a privilege to have him around.”
Since he was little, Alcaraz has said on numerous occasions that Nadal was his idol, so the clash always has a special touch for the Murcian, who by the way now arrives as a favorite for this duel: “We haven’t met much on the circuit, but I have seen him a lot on television. I have grown up watching him play. All the personal experiences I have had with him have been incredible. I would have loved to spend more time with Rafa. I always try to enjoy every day I encounter it and learn as much as possible. We are colleagues and rivals,” says Carlos. Nadal, who wants to be his rival, but doesn’t feel that way right now, didn’t really agree with the latter.
As for Alcaraz, expectations remain very high for the world number two. He has not won titles since last Wimbledon, although he has reached finals and has left incredible matches against rivals like Novak Djokovic or Jannik Sinner. Precisely, Carlos is left with the positive part: “The American tour I did after Wimbledon was not bad at all. People think that if you don’t win titles it’s bad and that’s not the case. I made the quarterfinals in a Masters 1000, the final in Cincinnati against Djokovic and the semifinals in the US Open,” says the Spaniard.
Neither failure nor frustration
Where it is clear that there is room for improvement is in that final part of the season, something that Carlitos has no problem admitting: “I have to not lower my level and concentration. This season I started with good feelings in Australia, in Buenos Aires I didn’t have the best and Rio was something unexpected. I don’t see what happened after Wimbledon as failure or frustration. I have to learn from experiences and moments.”
2024-03-03 12:57:30
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