Carlos Alcaraz said he is not concerned about not having won a title since Wimbledon in July of last year.

After emerging victorious at the 2022 US Open, he achieved the distinction of being the youngest men’s world number one ever. However, the 20-year-old Spaniard feels he is a marked man as he gets ready to start the defense of his Indian Wells championship.

Alcaraz expressed his thoughts about it and said: “A lot of players put a target on my back and every time I face them, they show their best level. A lot of expectations and noises behind me are probably difficult to deal with, but I try not to think about them. I try to be on my own all the time, to stay away from all of that. But it is difficult sometimes—a lot of tournament matches with people around—so I would say that is the toughest thing.”

After receiving a bye in the first round, Alcaraz will face Matteo Arnaldi on Friday at Indian Wells. Furthermore, Alcaraz was unable to win another trophy despite making it to a final, three semi-finals, and one further quarter-final in the final months of 2023.

He added: “After Wimbledon, I did a pretty good American swing—final in Cincinnati, semi-finals in the US Open—that’s good results, honestly. But after that, I was struggling a little with my tennis, my joy. It doesn’t stress me so much not having titles or finals.”

Carlos Alcaraz in 2024

Currently the world no.2, the Spaniard played his last match on the 20^th of February when he had to retire when playing against world no.113 Thiago Moura Monteiro in the 1^st round and the scoreline was 1-1 .

This season the Spaniard achieved a compiled 6-3 win-loss record. Carlos Alcaraz’s most significant performance of the current season was reaching the semifinal in Buenos Aires.

Alcaraz is scheduled to play next in Miami (Miami Open). He will start from the main draw that will commence on the 18th of March.