Carlos Alcaraz lost in the semi-finals in Indian Wells and suffered a surprising opening-round exit in Miami. But as the European clay swing begins with the Monte-Carlo Masters, the 21-year-old Spaniard remains unconcerned about his level.
“I am really happy with the way I am playing,” Alcaraz said on Sunday in Monte-Carlo. “Since I started the year I have been playing great tennis. Tennis is not just about hitting the ball. It is about more than that. It is about mentality, physical side.
“With my game I am really happy about it. If I don’t win it doesn’t matter if I play well or not. People are not thinking about the opponent, they are just thinking about me. If I lose something is going on people say. I don’t think that is fair. I am just happy and ready to play well on clay.”
Although it is still early in the season, Alcaraz is fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and owns a 15-4 record according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
His 78.9 winning percentage is second best on the ATP Tour this season for all players with at least 10 tour-level matches, with only Jack Draper owning a better mark (81.3%), an official ATP report said.
Alcaraz captured his first tour-level title of the season in Rotterdam in February, and also advanced to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and Doha.
Draper and Jakub Mensik lifted titles during the ‘Sunshine Double’ in Indian Wells and Miami, and the Spaniard believes their success demonstrates how competitive the Tour currently is.
“A lot of people might have said we should have played better tennis or won more tournaments but I don’t think that is fair,” Alcaraz said. “I think the draw in every tournament is very open and a lot of players are playing good tennis and they deserve to be there.
“There are so many players who play well on clay and on all surfaces. In the clay season I think it is going to be interesting. I see a lot of players who are capable of doing great things on clay.”
Alcaraz is the second seed in Monte-Carlo, where he will make just his second appearance. The Spaniard missed the past two editions due to injury. He lost in his opening match to Sebastian Korda three years ago.
“I am really happy to be here,” Alcaraz said. “It is a tournament I have only played [once]. I want to come here and play great. I am really excited about practising here and getting ready for my first match.”
Alcaraz, an eight-time tour-level titlist on clay, will start his tournament against Italian wild card Fabio Fognini, a former champion at the event, or Francisco Cerundolo.
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