Carlos Alcaraz gave a pretty interesting explanation when asked why he at times opts for a riskier instead of a simpler shot as the Spaniard reveals that going for something extravagant can actually help him “relax” on the court.
Alcaraz, who turned 21 in May, has been one of the top players in the game for the past two and a half years and from a very young age has had a very complete game. But while Alcaraz isn’t lacking in any department and he is serious about winning, it is not strange seeing him go for unconventional or very risky shots – even in some key points.
And after beating Daniil Medvedev in the Wimbledon semifinal 6-7 (1) 6-3 6-4 6-4 – in a match where he had a couple of those moments – the 21-year-old Spaniard was asked to explain what’s his thought process just before he decides to go for those kind of shots.
Carlos Alcaraz © Getty Images Sport – Francois Nel
Alcaraz: It’ the kind of thing that relaxes me…
“Sometimes I have to go for the effective one rather than the other options. Sometimes I do it because I feel so nervous and it’s the kind of thing that relaxes me. Because I’ve got a smile on my face doing disaster sometimes. In that moment I was feeling really calm. I was feeling that I can do these kind of shots,” Alcaraz explained.
“I have the confidence that when I hit these shots, I think they’re going to go in. Sometimes as I said, it’s a disaster. But it helps me a lot to relax, smile, and have fun on the court. But sometimes it’s difficult to do the simple shots.”
Meanwhile, Alcaraz is set to take on Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final for a second consecutive year. Last year, Alcaraz beat Djokovic in a thriller five-set for his Wimbledon title.
Now, Alcaraz is one win away from winning his second Wimbledon title and his fourth Grand Slam glory.