Alcaraz knows he's good on grass: "I know how I have to play".
Carlos Alcaraz is full of confidence. After a rather inconsistent start to the season, which nevertheless saw him win the Miami Masters 1000, the Spaniard was plunged into doubt. Hampered by physical problems in his right arm, he had a very complicated start to the clay-court season, playing just one tournament before Roland Garros (Madrid).
But since Paris, everything has changed. Arriving at Roland-Garros with measured confidence, Alcaraz has rediscovered an excellent level of tennis. Rising to prominence with each passing match, the El Palmar prodigy notched up three magnificent wins over Tsitsipas (6-3, 7-6, 6-4), Sinner (2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3) and finally Zverev (6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2). Impressively, he claimed his third Grand Slam title, his first in Paris.
The clay court may be over, but it's not the end of the road for the current world number 2. After a monumental grass-court season in 2023 (titles at Queen's and Wimbledon), the 23-year-old will now have to defend the titles he won last year.
Before he sets out to defend his crown at Wimbledon, he will have to defend his title at Queen's this week.
Fortunately for him, the draw proved rather lenient, as the players in his section of the draw are mainly clay-court specialists.
He will, however, have to watch out for Draper (Stuttgart title on Sunday), whom he could meet again in the last 16. Although he's a strong favourite to win his own title, 'Carilto' could come up against some very strong players on grass. These include De Minaur, a finalist here last year and winner of the title in Bois-le-Duc on Sunday, or Dimitrov, who is very comfortable on the surface and who crushed Mannarino in the first round on Monday (6-1, 6-2).
Asked about the task ahead, Alcaraz was confident: "Now I know how I have to play, I understand this game better and I'm more mature on this surface.
Of course, in the first training session, the movement wasn't as good as I thought it would be, but I still have time and I know that the process is slower on grass. I'm confident that I'll manage to be at 100% sooner than last season."
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