Carlos Alcarazcurrently number two in the world, expressed that he wants to achieve more success in his career because he is not a satisfied child, in the press conference he gave this Wednesday after winning his first game in Rio de Janeiro Openwhich title he won last year.
“I’m doing really well after four months out of work. In Buenos Aires I had a great week and here too I am very confident and want more. I am not a boy or a player who fixes. I want more and we get it this week“said the 19-year-old tennis player from Murcia after his 6-4, 6-4 victory over Brazilian Mateus Alves.
Alcaraz affirmed that one of his goals this year is regain the world number one statuswhere he was stripped by the Serb Novak Djokovic An injury that sidelined him for four months prevented him from participating in tournaments at the beginning of the year, but he did not consider that this pressure could harm his performance.
“My goals are to stay there; try to win more, win more Grand Slams, try to win as one again, which is a good target. That’s what I hope for this year,” said the Spaniard, who won the US Open in 2022 and last week, on his return to the courts, won the Argentina Open title.
After the title in Buenos Aires, Alcaraz reached 6,480 ATP points, still far behind Djokovic, who has 7,070. But the Murcian can start discounting points if he wins this week’s Rio Open, the only ATP 500 tournament in South America and the title he begins to defend on the clay courts of the Brazilian Jockey Club.
“I don’t think it creates pressure for me to fight with Djokovic for number one. A good year awaits me, with good tournaments. Although, it is true that maybe this is a year of pressure, where I have to defend important titles, I have to play at a high level, but as I always say, I go to every game thinking that I have to have fun and have fun. More than the result, that’s what I expect,” he said.
Regarding his opponent this Wednesday, who he struggled with despite being number 556 in the world, he said he only knew him from his videos but clarified that Alves was positively surprised by him and that he believed he could have a great career ahead of him.
He added that it is not easy to stop a game because of rain, as it happened on Tuesday when he beat the Brazilian 6-4 and 6-3 and even less when there is little left, because you have to overcome the next day. and try to start in the best possible way.
About Italian Fabio Fognininumber 86 in the world and who he has to face on Thursday in the round of 16, said he is a good player who continues at a very high level.
“I’m going to try to show a good level (against the Italian) because If I don’t, it will be a very difficult game.“said Alcaraz, who defeated Fognini in the semifinals of the Rio Open last year.
In the interview, and because of the interest he has sparked for being the youngest person to reach number one in the world, he assured that he is still a “normal boy” who does not shy away when he has to go somewhere with a lot of people despite being acquaintance
“I take it very naturally,” he said. “I am a very simple kid. For me, an afternoon chatting with my friends is a good plan and I really like sports”he added.
Source: La Verdad
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