Alcaraz opens up about his season’s struggles

Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about his struggles this year and how he had felt following crashing out of the Miami Open, describing it as hitting “rock bottom.” The Spaniard, who claimed a recent victory at the Monte Carlo Masters, has had a challenging year filled with highs and lows and is only coming to terms with it. 

In an interview, Alcaraz reflected on his struggles, saying, “More or less that could be said. It’s just that it was hard for me to get out in the press; I didn’t even know what I was going to say. You can say yes,” when asked if he hit his lowest point this year. 

He continued, “In the end, in those situations, you think many things and, when something that has hurt you is so recent, you never think about it with perspective.”

His season began with promise, winning a title in Rotterdam, but it quickly unraveled. He faced early exits in Doha and Indian Wells, with the latter leaving him devastated. His loss to Jack Draper in Indian Wells’s semifinals, despite winning the second set 6-0, shook his confidence. “I think today I was more worried about his level, his game, than myself…” he admitted, revealing how that match planted seeds of doubt.

The real blow came at the Miami Open, where he was eliminated in the first round by David Goffin after a competitive match. “It wasn’t just another loss for me. That was the final straw,” he said, acknowledging how difficult that defeat was to accept. 

Despite these struggles, Alcaraz chose to take time off, allowing himself to process the setbacks. “Many thoughts came to my mind, and one of the best things I did was to take several days off and give myself the opportunity to think clearly, see things from perspective, and, from there, decide,” he said.

His decision to pause and reflect paid off. Alcaraz returned to form with fire within, leading to his title win at Monte Carlo, where he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final. “I wasn’t expecting to win; just to get some time on clay, and ending up winning the title gives me a lot of confidence for what is to come,” he shared after the match.