The four-time Grand Slam champion confessed that he couldn’t find a way to shake off pre-match nerves, which were evident even in his morning warm-up, and led to an animated conversation with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero that was captured by behind-the scenes broadcast cameras.
“Obviously I wanted to win the third in a row, but, I mean, I can’t pretend to win every match,” he said. “I am not as upset about not getting the third one in a row. I am upset about myself, about the way that I approached the match, the way that I felt during the whole day, that I couldn’t calm down myself. That’s, for me, the most disappointed thing that I’m feeling right now.”
Alcaraz added that some of his anxiety stemmed from focusing too much on his opponent, whom he said “deserves” the Top 10 debut that will come Monday on the back of reaching his first Masters 1000 final.
“I am happy about him because I didn’t doubt about his level,” he said.
