What’s at Stake
Proving that even the best of champions is human, an angry Carlos Alcaraz broke a racquet this summer while in the middle of a loss to Gael Monfils at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Though he swiftly apologized for the outburst, it had become clear throughout August that the usually happy and positive Alcaraz was feeling frayed and arguably even burned out. So it was that Alcaraz was upset in the second round of the US Open by 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp.
Said Alcaraz following that defeat, “Probably I’m a guy or I’m a player that needs more days or more break coming into the good tournaments or the important ones. So I have to think about it, and I have to learn about it.”
With Jannik Sinner this year having blossomed into a Grand Slam champion, Alcaraz is also aware that he has, for the first time, a significant rival similar in age. Speaking prior to their semifinal match at Roland Garros this year, Alcaraz said that Sinner, “probably is one of the most difficult challenge that we can face in tennis right now.”
In addition to winning that match in Paris, Alcaraz also beat Sinner the only other time these two have played this year, rallying from a set down in the semis of Indian Wells.
“So every time that I’m playing against Jannik, I think for both of us, it’s an amazing fight,” said Alcaraz. “But for the crowd, is an amazing match that I think that they enjoy every time that we are playing each other. I think the energy that people bring to us is special.”
