Spanish tennis ace Carlos Alcaraz has sensationally claimed he considered quitting the game in light of a recent run of poor form. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a stratospheric rise in the sport ever since winning the US Open at just 19 in 2022. The Murcia born star has since won Wimbledon twice and the French Open.
However, he has suffered setbacks of late after defeats at Indian Wells and at the Miami Open left him contemplating his future in the game. While he has since stormed back to win the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco this week, Alcaraz has opened up about his loss to British star Jack Draper in California and how his defeat to David Goffin in Miami presented him with a fork in the road when it came to his career.
“It’s a combination of everything,” he said. “In Indian Wells, I felt like I was playing well and was quite calm off-court. The loss to Draper hurt me a lot. Then, in Miami, losing to Goffin was the straw that broke the camel’s back. We had to stop, sit down and see what was happening.
“That moment helped me a lot. You learn most from bad times. I’ve learned especially to focus on what’s important. There are many things we give importance to that perhaps really aren’t important. I’ve identified what’s truly important in tennis for me and will continue along that path.”
Asked if he considered that he was at ‘rock bottom’ following the loss to German star Goffin, Alcaraz said: “More or less, yes, you could say that. Speaking to the press was hard; I didn’t even know what to say. So yes, you could say that.”
He then elaborated on how he contemplated walking away from the sport, adding: “In those situations, you think about many things, and when something painful is so recent, you never think about it with perspective. Many thoughts come into your head: stop, stop for a week, not go to a tournament, stop for several months, keep training, take a holiday, then train for what’s next.
“Many thoughts came into my head and one of the best things I did was take several days off and give myself the chance to think clearly, see things with perspective, and then decide from there.”
However, Alcaraz now appears to be returning to form as he aims to make a splash at Roland Garros in May. His 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory against Lorenzo Musetti in Monaco was his first Masters title in thirteen months.
“I’m really happy to win Monte Carlo for the first time,” he said. “It has been a really difficult week with a lot of difficult situations. I am proud with how I dealt with everything. It has been a difficult month for me, so coming here and seeing the hard work pay off makes me happy.”
Alcaraz will rise one spot to No 2 in the world rankings following his performance. Yet he has appeared to carry his momentum into the Barcelona Open. After lifting the title in 2022 and 2023, the Spaniard is now into the second round after beating 21-year-old American Ethan Quinn 6-2 7-6 (8-6) in his opening match on Tuesday.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk