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Date Published: 30/08/2024

Murcia tennis star Carlos Alcaraz opens up about mental struggles following crushing defeat

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“It’s like I’m not mentally well, I’m not strong,” the young Spanish prodigy revealed after being knocked out in the second round

Murcia tennis star Carlos Alcaraz opens up about mental struggles following crushing defeat

Murcia tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, who lost unexpectedly and painfully in the second round of the US Open this week to world number 74 Botic Van de Zandschulp, said that on a mental level he has taken “steps backwards” without fully understanding the reason why.

The 21-year-old Murciano did his country proud at the Paris Olympics earlier this month, bringing home the fourth silver medal ever to the Region of Murcia. He was pipped to the post by the legendary Novak Djokovic and prevented from becoming the youngest ever player to take the singles title.

"The truth is that what I feel right now is that instead of taking steps forward, I have taken steps backwards in terms of my mentality. And I don't understand why," the Spanish tennis player reflected at a press conference following his crushing US defeat.

"I came from a spectacular summer, from Roland Garros, from Wimbledon, and I came out of there saying that I had mentally taken a step forward, that I had realised that to win big things you had to be tough-minded.

“I come to this tour and it's like I've taken steps backwards: it's like I'm not mentally well, I'm not strong, I don't know how to control myself when faced with problems, I don't know how to manage them. And that, for me, honestly, is a problem," he added.

Before this, Alcaraz had not suffered such an early defeat in a 'Grand Slam' since the second round of Wimbledon in 2021, which until now was his worst result in the main draw of a major.

Reeling with disappointment, he admitted that such a demanding competitive schedule could have taken its toll.

“It has been a very emotional, very demanding summer. The tennis calendar is very tight. I have had my moments of disconnection, but I think I am still getting to know myself and perhaps as a person I need more time," he reflected.

"Maybe I'm the kind of person who, with such a tight schedule, maybe it doesn't suit me or I mentally push myself too hard. I have to see what happens exactly, but the truth is that I haven't thought about all the demands so close together and I haven't thought that that's what could have affected me," he added.

Far from offering excuses, Alcaraz, who is from El Palmar in Murcia, admitted that he hadn’t arrived at Flushing Meadows “with as much energy” as usual. He also stressed that Van de Zandschulp, who was imposing from start to finish, "played brilliantly."

Alcaraz is adamant that he will learn and improve from this disappointing experience, and his fans in Murcia and the rest of Spain are in no doubt that the future is very bright for this young star.

In other news: High-speed Murcia-Almería AVE: work on Lorca tunnel begins

Image: Univers Tennis/X

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