C A R L O S A L C A R A Z
Interview} John Russo
Photographs} John Russo
Grooming} Michaela Limur
Styling} Cristina Cimino
Backdrop} Gravity Backdrops.
JR: Do you ever get Nervous when you step on the court to play a Grand Slam final?
CA: Nervous? Of course! Before the Wimbledon final last year it was really difficult before coming to the court. I am working with a psychologist [Isabel Balaguer from the University of Valencia] and I told her before the warm-up, I am incredibly nervous! I was nervous since breakfast. So two hours before the final I put my headphones on. Calm music, breathing slowly. I was in the gym at Wimbledon, lying on a physio table. It probably looked as if I was sleeping but I was just controlling my emotions, trying to calm myself and my muscles. I was there for more than 30 minutes. And then when I stepped on the court for the final I was still nervous. But at least I had warmed up well, had planned well, and this helped me to trust myself in the match.
JR: A lot of your matches, especially the finals on big stages come with a huge amount of pressure. How you do maintain calm and handle the moment?
CA: In the final game at Roland Garros [the French Open], I was shaking. The same is true at the Wimbledon final last year. My legs, my hands. It is a difficult moment and you have to trust yourself. Everything I think in that moment is: Go for it. If you miss it, you miss it. Don’t hold back. Don’t regret. Play positive. Go aggressively. Play your game. It’s OK to miss — that happens. It has even happened to Federer who was 40-15 on service in the fifth set and lost [against Djokovic in the epic 2019 Wimbledon final]. Top players in every sport have lost in important moments. But if you try and you miss, you are going to learn from it. If I hadn’t lost the matches I lost in 2022, I would never have achieved what I achieved. I learnt from every defeat. You have to learn from the moments you live.
JR: I am sure almost every interview questions is about tennis, but tell me something I do not know, like do you like movies?
CA: The Rocky films, I love Rocky IV, the one where Rocky beats Ivan Drago after Drago has beaten Apollo Creed.
JR: What do you think young players can learn from you?
CA: “Honestly, I don’t know what juniors can learn from me. Probably the joy that I’m playing with. It seems like I don’t feel the pressure anytime. I play all the points in the same way. Being aggressive, having no fear of going to net. Hitting big shots. I’m going to say that.
JR: You play with Babolat, the Pure Aero 98 frame, what do you like about it?
CA: What I like about the racquet, I feel like I have a lot of power, and at the same time I have a lot of control over the ball that I’m hitting, That’s what I wanted when I started playing with this racquet. Before this one, I could hit with a lot of power, I could hit great shots, but I couldn’t control the ball as much as I wanted. I started to play with this one, and I didn’t miss the power that I like to play with, and at the same time I have control. So probably those players are feeling the same way as me.
JR: what is it about the hard court season and eventually playing in New York at the US Open?
CA: I love playing on hard courts. Playing in New York suits very well to my game, my personality. The people here are passionate about tennis, they have a lot of energy that they bring to the matches, to the court, and I love it. So probably here is where I play some of my best tennis.
JR: What do you want for your future?
CA: I want to sit at the table with the Big three, but from what I have experienced, I’d choose happiness over massive success. Because happiness is already success.
To learn more about Carlos Alcaraz follow him @carlitosalcarazz
atp tennisCarlos AlcarazTennis Star
