Carlos Alcaraz is getting candid about his recent struggles, admitting that the pressure of overthrowing Jannik Sinner from the top spot during the Italian’s doping ban “killed” him.
Shortly after defending his Australian Open title, Sinner settled on a three-month doping ban with the WADA. One of the first things that many brought up was the fact that Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev had a great chance of reaching the world No. 1 position. But two months into the Italian’s ban, both the Spaniard and the German have lost their chances of overtaking the Italian from the top spot before he returns.
“A lot of people are asking me, or are telling me, that I have the chance to become No 1 if Jannik is not playing. So probably that pressure has killed me in some way,” Alcaraz admitted at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Alcaraz says he is more relaxed in Monte Carlo
In his last three tournaments, the Spaniard lost in the Doha quarterfinal, made the Indian Wells Masters semifinal, and shockingly lost in the Miami Masters second round. Now at the start of his clay season in Monte Carlo, he feels more relaxed knowing that he can’t replace Sinner from the world No. 1 spot in the next month.
“I’m just thinking that I’m not able to become No 1… in the clay season. Even if Jannik is not playing, I don’t have the chance to do it. I think I’m too far from Jannik. So I’m just here and I realize that I don’t have to think about it and just go there and play. That’s my mindset right now,” Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz, who is seeded at No. 2 in Monte Carlo, has a first-round bye and will meet either Francisco Cerundolo or Fabio Fognini in the second round. For the 21-year-old Spaniard, this will be his only second appearance in Monte Carlo.
Tennis World USA