Carlos Alcaraz

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Niezła szklana.

[Damian]

Philosophical Alcaraz hoping for quick return: ‘It is what it is’

Spoiler:

World No. 3 remains hopeful of competing in Madrid later this month
April 15, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz spoke to the media on Monday afternoon in Barcelona.Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Carlos Alcaraz spoke to the media on Monday afternoon in Barcelona.
By ATP Staff
Having withdrawn Sunday from the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell due to a right forearm injury, Carlos Alcaraz visited the ATP 500 event a day later to provide an update on his progress and prospects as the European clay season continues.

The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, who missed last week’s Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters due to the same injury, emphasised his sadness at missing the chance to compete in Barcelona, where he lifted the title in 2022 and 2023. He remains hopeful he will be able to compete at another event that he has won the past two years, the Mutua Madrid Open, which begins on 24 April.

“I won’t be able to play in Barcelona, but I wanted to come to the tournament,” said Alcaraz in a press conference on Monday afternoon. “I wanted to come and explain in my own words. This is a club I’ve spent a lot of my life at, I wanted to do it in person and talk about my current situation.

“The pain started in the first practice session in Monte-Carlo. After an hour my forearm was feeling particularly uncomfortable. At the time I didn’t think it would be anything important. My team and I treated it as well as possible, doing tests to see what the problem was. I couldn’t recover in time to play in Monte-Carlo so I returned home to see if, with recovery, days, practice, and patience, I would be able to arrive in Barcelona as fit as possible.”


Alcaraz wanted to give himself every chance of defending his crown at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, but the tournament ultimately came too soon for him to compete.

“I took a test on Saturday morning, which produced some pretty positive images,” said Alcaraz. “That gave me hope I could play in the tournament. But Sunday was the litmus test for us. It was the first day I hit forehands after the practice session in Monte-Carlo and it wasn’t as we expected. I could feel it again.

“Every time I upped the intensity of the forehand, it became more uncomfortable. It was a difficult decision as it’s a very important and special tournament for me. Taking the decision not to come was difficult for me, for my family and for my team.”

You May Also Like: Nadal confirms he’s ready for Barcelona: ‘I’m going to give my all’
Despite still being unsure of how long his arm needs to heal, Alcaraz remains cautiously optimistic of taking to court at Madrid’s Caja Magica next week.

“My feeling isn’t right, but it is what it is,” Alcaraz said at a press conference on Monday afternoon. “Now I’m fully focused on recovery, and I have a little more time. My goal is to try and go to the Mutua Madrid Open, but at the moment nothing is certain. I was given specific recovery times and I’ve respected them, but I haven’t felt good. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

“I can’t say I’ll be 100 per cent in Madrid, but that’s my intention. We’ll train and do everything we can so that the feelings improve so I can play a tennis match. Hopefully I can enjoy the fans in Madrid and play at home. It’s also a very special tournament for me.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz ... ury-update

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[DUN I LOVE]

Złoty rocznik 2003.

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[Art]

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[DUN I LOVE]

Ilja Topuria, Hiszpan. O mało co nam Carlitoska nie udusił.

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[Damian]

1) Alcaraz chasing three in a row: Alcaraz will aim to become the first player to win three consecutive titles in the Spanish capital when he takes to court in Madrid as the second seed. The 20-year-old, who opens against Alexander Shevchenko or Arthur Rinderknech, has not competed since Miami in March due to a right arm injury. Alcaraz has won seven of his 13 tour-level titles on clay, and he is chasing his sixth ATP Masters 1000 crown.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/madrid- ... ing-report

[Damian]

Alcaraz on rival Sinner: ‘He can win everywhere he goes’

Spoiler:

Spaniard aiming to become first player to win three consecutive Madrid titles
April 23, 2024
Carlos Alcaraz practises on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.Thomas Coex/AFP via Getty Images
Carlos Alcaraz practises on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.
By ATP Staff
Carlos Alcaraz has been a dominant force over the past two editions of the Mutua Madrid Open. The home favourite dropped just five sets in 11 matches across 2022 and 2023 at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he this week starts his 2024 campaign as the second seed.

Yet the 20-year-old Alcaraz is in no doubt as to the quality of his rivals trying to prevent him becoming the first man to win three consecutive titles in the Spanish capital — not least top seed Jannik Sinner. The Italian may never have been past the third round at the Caja Magica, but Alcaraz does not think that will count much to a player who has made a 25-2 start to the year.

“He’s dangerous. He’s the best player in the world right now,” said Alcaraz of Sinner in his pre-tournament press conference. “I think [some people] think his tennis doesn’t suit well to the clay, but he has had results on clay as well.

“He can win every tournament he goes to, and obviously I’m fighting with him and with Novak to be World No. 1. I’m trying to stay there, but honestly it is going to be difficult.”

You May Also Like: Sinner: 'I have to improve if I want to win more'
After a solid start to the year on hard courts that included lifting his fifth Masters 1000 crown last month in Indian Wells, Alcaraz is preparing for his 2024 clay-court debut in Madrid. A right arm injury prevented him from playing in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, and the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings is looking forward to stepping back on court at a tournament where he feels at home. The presence of record five-time champion Rafael Nadal in the draw, likely for the last time in Madrid, has only heightened that excitement.

“For me it’s really important to be at 100 per cent here in this tournament,” said Alcaraz. “Playing here is so special. It’s the tournament where a lot of family can come to watch my matches, a lot of friends as well, and for me it’s really special to play in front of my home crowd as well.

“I would love to play at 100 per cent just to give them the opportunity to enjoy my tennis and give myself the chance to get a good result here. Obviously, it would be great to play a final against Rafa, but it is a long path.”

The 13-time tour-level champion Alcaraz will begin his campaign against Arthur Rinderknech or Alexander Shevchenko on Saturday in Madrid. He has already had to deal with some big-stage nerves in the Spanish capital, however, after he presented Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham with the Breakthrough of the Year trophy at the Laureus Sports Awards on Sunday night.

“Honestly, I didn’t feel comfortable on the stage. I was so nervous,” said Alcaraz, when asked if he was becoming more comfortable mixing with other global stars. “I practised that speech during the week almost 50 times just to make sure it was going to be perfect.

“My legs were shaking. Honestly, I’m not used to doing a speech in front of legends of the sport and those kinds of people. It was a great experience. It was a beautiful moment for me, giving the award to Jude, who I have huge respect for. He’s a tremendous athlete, so it was a great moment for me that I was glad to have.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz ... 24-preview

[Damian]

Alcaraz bolsters his fighting spirit with UFC star Topuria in Madrid

Spoiler:

World No. 3 meets and grapples with Spanish-Georgian fighter
April 23, 2024
UFC star Ilia Topuria and Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.Diego Souto/Mutua Madrid Open
UFC star Ilia Topuria and Carlos Alcaraz on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.
By ATPTour.com/es Staff
Carlos Alcaraz’s frightening power has long been a sight to behold on the ATP Tour. However, on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, he had to employ it against a very different opponent.

The Spaniard had a face-to-face meeting with Ilia Topuria, the UFC featherweight champion. The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alcaraz exchanged the clay courts of the Caja Magica for an octagon, and in doing so provided one of the most entertaining moments of the week so far in the Spanish capital.

The 20-year-old Alcaraz was given a masterclass by the Georgian-Spanish fighter Topuria. The pair went through a repertoire of moves from mixed martial arts. He learnt all about submissions and various locks from one of the fastest growing sports in Spain.

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It was completely new ground for Alcaraz. The current Wimbledon champion enjoyed the experience, laughing as he grappled with Topuria, with whom he also enjoyed a private conversation.

Two of the most revered athletes in Spain exchanged knowledge on their respective disciplines, freely giving one another advice. Topuria immobilised Alcaraz to demonstrate the secrets of the body lock, one of the most iconic moves in UFC, where the fighter attacks their adversary with a choke. After escaping from the hold, Alcaraz assumed the attack and engaged in a friendly tussle with Topuria on the clay.

The day before the men’s main draw kicks off at the ATP Masters 1000 in the Caja Magica, Topuria also had a chance to meet Rafael Nadal in person. The 92-time tour-level champion was one of many people to post a message for Topuria on social media after he won his world title.

You May Also Like: History-chasing Alcaraz faces tricky path in Madrid, where Nadal opens against Blanch
On 18 February, Topuria made history by winning the mixed martial arts featherweight belt, defeating the Australian Alexander Volkanovski in the Honda Center, Anaheim (California).

Inspired by Topuria’s exploits, Alcaraz will now try to call upon his fighting spirit as he returns to competition on the ATP Tour. The second seed will play his Madrid opener against either France’s Arthur Rinderknech or Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz ... ia-meeting

[Damian]

Home favourites Alcaraz, Nadal draw crowds at Madrid practice

Spoiler:

Pair practised on adjacent courts Wednesday in Spanish capital
April 24, 2024
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz practise side-by-side on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz practise side-by-side on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.
By ATP Staff
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal provided a double treat for fans on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open.

The home favourites and multiple-time champions at the ATP Masters 1000 event practised on adjacent courts at the Caja Magica, where crowds flocked to watch the two Spanish stars.

<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rafa ... ew'>Rafael Nadal</a>/<a href='https://www.atptour.com/en/players/carl ... ew'>Carlos Alcaraz</a>
Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz greet each other on Wednesday in Madrid. Photo Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Alcaraz is preparing for an opening match against Arthur Rinderknech or Alexander Shevchenko in Madrid, where he has won the past two editions of the event.

The record five-time champion Nadal, who made his first ATP Tour appearance since January in Barcelona last week, will step on court at the Caja Magica for the first time since 2022 on Thursday. The Mallorcan is preparing for a first-round clash against #NextGenATP American Darwin Blanch: it will be just the second tour-level match of the 16-year-old Blanch’s career.

You May Also Like: Blanch, 16, looks ahead to Nadal clash: 'Enjoy every moment'
Other players practising on the Madrid clay on Wednesday included top seed Jannik Sinner and Monte-Carlo champion Stefanos Tsitsipas. Their fellow Top 10 stars Casper Ruud and Holger Rune hit together on the day the main-draw action begins in Madrid.

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz ... 4-practice

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