Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time Grand Slam champion, has ignited an exciting rivalry with the world No. 1, Novak Djokovic, this season. With four encounters resulting in two victories each, their matches have showcased their exceptional skills and heightened competition on the tennis stage.
In the lead-up to the Shanghai Masters, Alcaraz was candid about his mindset, stating, “I think [about Djokovic] almost in every practice, I am not going to lie. I train with a goal. I go to the tournaments with a goal. To try to end the year as No 1. Novak Djokovic is on my mind in almost every practice. I have to practice my best. I have to go for 100 per cent in every ball to be able to catch him. He is 100 per cent focused. I watch his practice, his movement and the way he plays and trains, and it is something I want. He puts 100 per cent in every practice and game, and it is something I am trying in my game.”
Connors shared his thoughts on the Advantage Connors podcast, saying, “My first thought about that [Alcaraz’s quote] is even though Alcaraz beat him at Wimbledon, he’s been kind of a thorn in his side a little bit. But he’s got to be careful doing that because then you’re preparing for only one guy. And I understand also that you think ‘well, if I’m playing good enough to be that guy, I’ll be able to beat everybody else too,’ but that’s not really true because other guys have different games, as he saw with Sinner. And the way he plays is different than the way Novak, Alcaraz, or Medvedev. These guys, they’re big, they’re strong.”
Connors emphasizes the need for versatility and adaptability in Alcaraz’s approach, urging him to be prepared for every opponent. “You’ve got to be prepared for everybody that you play. So, it’s your game. I would go out and I’d work on my game because I thought my game should be good enough to play anybody, not just to play one guy but to play anybody. It’s not just Novak. It’s Sinner and Medvedev and a little bit of everything.”
As Alcaraz continues to evolve as a top tennis player, Connors’ advice underscores the importance of staying focused on personal growth and versatility, ensuring success against a variety of opponents rather than fixating on a single rivalry.
Alcaraz in Shanghai, ranking, and results in 2023
WLWLLWLWWW Now the world no.2, the Spaniard achieved an overall 63-8 record in 2023. Carlos is playing in Shanghai where he managed to beat the world no.73 Gregoire Barrere 6-2 7-5 and the world no.33 Daniel Evans 7-61 6-4.
Carlos Alcaraz will fight against the world no.19 Grigor Dimitrov in the 4th round on Wednesday at 6:30 pm on STADIUM COURT. The head to head is 3-0 for Alcaraz.
Alcaraz conquered 6 titles in 2023 in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Wimbledon. Carlos was the finalist in Rio de Janeiro (Rio Open) and in Cincinnati (Western & Southern Open).
The Spaniard won 13 titles in his career: 3 on hard courts, 7 on clay courts, 1 on indoor courts and 2 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
He is also scheduled to play in Paris (Rolex Paris Masters) after Basel. The main draw will start on the 23rd of October.
Carlos Alcaraz |
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