Alcaraz, in the early morning against Griekspoor for his 100th victory

Carlos Alcaraz goes all Indian Wells. The Murcian is looking for a title in the California desert that will allow him to extend his brilliant record and regain the number 1 that Novak Djokovic took from him at the end of January.

This moment could not have started better for him. His performance against Thanasi Kokkinakis (6-3, 6-3)which he dismasted early on backed by his devastating serve, shows that the physical problems that forced him to miss the Australian Open first, and the Acapulco tournament more recently, are behind him.

“I felt really comfortable playing, with more movement. I have recovered well, I seem to be moving now without any problems, so I think I’m ready and fully recovered from the injury” confirmation in the press room after his debut.

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Your next obstacle is, the next morning, (about 04 hours Spanish peninsular) Tallon Griekspoor, against whom he will look for what will be his 100th victory on the ATP circuitwhere he currently has a baggage of 99 wins and 32 losses and seven titles.

The first seed will face a player coming off the back of beating Argentine Guido Pella 7-6 (3) and 7-6 (4) and whom he defeated in the second round of Wimbledon 2022 6-4, 7-6 (0) and 6-3 and in the previous stage of the Estoril tournament (6-1, 6-3) in 2021, the year in which the Dutchman defeated him in the previous stage of the Montpellier Open (4-6, 6-3 and 6-1) .

Griekspoor, 26 years old and number 36 in the ranking, has 13 wins and 4 losses this season, which began by lifting the title in Pune (India). An uncomfortable opponent on this type of surface that will be a good test for Alcaraz as he heads into the final rounds.

Carlitos is clear on the basis of how to do damage to any of his rivals on the other side of the net. When asked why he is more dangerous for opponents, he answered without hesitation. He is not speaking of a coup per se, but of a global component.

“I will say the pressure I put on the opponent with each punch. For example, in others, taking the opponent to the limit with each shot. I’m going for him with every blow,” Alcaraz analyzed.

“I would say that is the most dangerous part of my game, that the opponent feels the pressure with every shot.“, he added.

He joins this starting philosophy “well, I move well. I would say that I am fast, that I reach each ball, or at least I try. But, what more, that pressure that I put my opponent under with each shot, with every hit”. And to that is added a great work capacity to continue learning, from Juan Carlos Ferrero, a former Grand Slam champion and world number 1 who dedicated himself to the development and emergence of Alcaraz.

“One of the things I’ve been working on in practice lately is serving, and I took advantage of that in my Indian Wells debut. And hopefully it will help me in the rest of the tournament as well“, meant Alcaraz, who won 20 of 21 service points in his first set against Thanasi Kokkinakis, in which he was not given a single break point.