Carlos Alcaraz, who was crowned this Sunday as the Indian Wells champion and that he regained the world number one, he was very happy and proud of the title in the so-called “fifth Grand Slam” and he thanked his team for their “incredible work” to support him all the time.
“Many thanks to all. I know I’m still very young and I have a lot to learn and it won’t be easy (…) but thank you for all your work”, said the Spaniard on the track as soon as he won the tournament in the California desert.
“I started the year very well but I had some problems with injuries so I want to thank you for being with me all the time, for being patient and for all the hard work,” he added, referring to the team led by his coach, tennis player Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Alcaraz crushed Russian Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells finalwho won 19 straight games and three straight tournaments, 6-3 and 6-2 in one hour and 11 minutes.
In addition to number one in the ATP and the third Masters 1000 of his career (after Miami and Madrid), the Murcian won a prize of 1.26 million dollars for winning the first Masters 1000 of the season.
After a tough tennis lesson in the final, Alcaraz also congratulated Medvedev on a great run that ended this afternoon.
“I want to congratulate you on your work for the last two months. Winning three tournaments in a row and reaching the final here is an incredible achievement,” said the 19-year-old.
Alcaraz, who last year lost in the Indian Wells semifinals against Rafa Nadal and this year went undefeated on his way to glory, He also pointed out that he would love to play in this Masters 1000.
“This tournament is very special from the first person to the last person working on it. I feel amazing playing here (…). This tournament is something special and I look forward to playing here again next year,” he said.
THE NUMBER ONE AND AGAIN WITH DJOKOVIC
Already at the press conference, Alcaraz said that he will return to number one “It’s like a dream again” and pointed out that he wants to play again against Djokovic, whom he has not met since the quarterfinals in Madrid in 2022 (the Serb, now ousted by Alcaraz, cannot compete in the US because he has not been vaccinated against the coronavirus).
“Novak is one of the best players in the world. that’s obvious. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I want to play Novak again. We miss you on the circuit and hopefully we can get it back soon. Of course, it’s incredible to play against him again.”
Besides, Alcaraz emphasized that all his energy now goes to defending the Miami Masters 1000 titlewhich is played over the next two weeks, also with the aim of “retaining number one”.
“We’re going (after) the gravel season with a lot of confidence, but first go to Miami“, said.
After a tour of Indian Wells that he described as “perfect”, Alcaraz admitted that he did not expect such a clear dominance from start to finish against Medvedev and emphasized his tactical preparation for this final.
“I was a bit surprised (the domain). The conditions were not easy. it was very windy and you have to overcome it. Obviously, Daniil did not play in his best version… And I took advantage of those moments where he had more failures than necessary”, he reasoned.
“The battles against Daniil are very tactical and you have to do it perfectly. I think on a tactical level I have embroidered it and it is, let’s say, more comfortable than expected,” he added.
Alcaraz continues to achieve precocity records and this Sunday joins Nadal as the only players in history to win at least three Masters 1000s before his 20th birthday (Majorcan got 6).
The man from El Palmar said that seeing those records is “something you can’t avoid” on the news or in circuit circles.
“But what you can do is not think about it. When it comes in for the view and the second you forget. This is what I’m trying to do. I’m not thinking about breaking precocity records or anything like that. I’m just trying to make every dream come true.”
Finally, Alcaraz emphasized that in the past year he has improved, especially in the matter of “playing relaxed.”
“That’s why I show a good level: because I feel no pressure. I enjoyed it“, he explained.
“I have no doubts about my shots. I feel really comfortable on the court. I really trust every shot I make (…). If I miss, I don’t care. I don’t worry about a miss. I try to give 100% in every hit without any doubt,” he said.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
