Carlos Alcarazfirst favorite and defender of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell crown, has reflected before the media on his return to the tracks that saw him win in the last edition.
Preparation. “I have trained with Shapovalov and Ruud and it has gone very well for me. I need the rhythm of the competition, to play points and with these players I can do it”.
Sinner and Alcaraz, the new rivalry. “We’re both very young and we’ve had fights for big things, and every time we play it’s a lot of fun to watch. I hope to have the same rivalry with Sinner that has existed between the ‘Big Three.’ With Jannik, we also get along very well off the track.”
Absence of Rafa Nadal. “I always want to see the best players in each tournament. It’s a shame not to be able to enjoy his tennis with all that he has achieved and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
The pressure of the defense “I love playing here in Barcelona, my family and I have friends are going to come. We are going to try to avoid the pressure of defending the title and go out on the track and enjoy. There have been big absences like Rafa and Medvedev, who were candidates for win the tournament, but the lack of them doesn’t make me feel more of a favourite. Every player in the draw can beat me.”
The leap that I have made is due to the ability to read things”
Experience. “What I’m learning is that you have to take care of yourself on and off the track. You have to do everything perfectly so that injuries don’t come.”
Differences with the Alcaraz of 2022. “I am more mature than last year, I read things better in the event that something is going wrong. I feel the same level of blows. The leap I have made is due to maturity and the ability I have to read things on court. The titles have not changed me as a person. I feel like the same guy as always, with the same group of friends. You have to separate tennis from personal life”.
Feeling of competing on clay. “For me it’s like being in a battle, every point is a battle and you have to play more tactically. It’s the beauty of the land.”
