Alcaraz Kicks Off the Semifinal Against Davidovich Fokina: "It's Never Easy to Play Against a Friend"

This Saturday, two Spanish players will battle for a spot in the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000. World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz enters as the favorite in his upcoming match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

However, the four-time Grand Slam champion must be wary of his opponent, whom he knows well but who has already reached the final on the Monegasque clay—back in 2022. Ahead of the clash, Alcaraz set the tone for the semifinal in a press conference.

"Alejandro invited me to his wedding. He's a friend, we've known each other for a long time. He also played with my older brother when they were young.

I know him very well, we've trained together a lot and faced each other multiple times. It's never easy to play against a friend, but that's tennis.

Once you step onto the court, there are no friends. There's no time to waste. I know he loves playing here—it's his second time in the semifinals—and he feels very comfortable. He's been playing at a very high level lately. It’s going to be a very interesting match," Alcaraz stated, as reported by Spanish outlet Marca.