In September the sky opened up for Carlos Alcaraz. He achieved victory in the United States Open, won the first Grand Slam of his sports career and climbed to number 1 in the ranking, all with standards of precocity that made him the new phenomenon of world tennis.
Little did Alcaraz imagine then that what would come after his victory against Casper Ruud would be a period of obstacles and troubles, of fighting against circumstances. Since he reigned in Flushing Meadows, he could only play ten games, with five wins and five losses, until he was injured in the abdomen at the Masters 1,000 in Paris Bercy against Holger Rune. After accumulating successes, a bitter face came to him.
102 two days later Alcaraz reappears this Wednesday in the tournament in Buenos Aires. He will do it against the Serbian Laszlo Djere (57 in the world), who beat Fabio Fognini.
It is not a tournament that was included in his program but he changed it when he could not return at the Australian Open, a competition in which Novak Djokovic took the number 1 in the world from him. “It was difficult to see from TV how he took the lead from me. It would have been difficult to beat him because he played at a very high level, ”Alcaraz reasoned.
The Murcian returns to action as number 2 in the ranking and with many points to defend in the following months, since he put five trophies in his showcases. Although he assures that this does not obsess him. “Despite having been number 1, I have many things to improve. Nadal, Djokovic or Federer were already very good when they were young but they were constantly improving and this is the goal, to be stronger at a tennis level and also mentally. It won't be easy to repeat my results from last year but I know where I want to go and that's what's important”.
In 2022 they won this stretch of the year in Rio de Janeiro, made the semifinals in Indian Wells, took the title in Miami and in the clay season they won the trophy at the Conde de Godó and in Madrid. “I want to continue winning tournaments and regain number 1, but you have to go step by step. First I have to recover the rhythm of the competition”. That is why he is prudent about his options in Buenos Aires, a tournament in which he should win under normal conditions.
Neither in Argentina nor later in Acapulco, his next stop, he will not be accompanied by his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, with whom he will meet again in Indian Wells. Last year his pupil ended up exhausted and injured after playing 70 games. He now returns with the illusion of what he is, a well-prepared boy. Tennis and his fans are in luck.
