Alcaraz: “The overall balance is positive” | ATP Tour

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Alcaraz: “The overall balance is positive”

The Spaniard reflects after being eliminated in the Caja Mágica

May 01, 2024

By ATPTour.com/es Staff

Carlos Alcaraz ended his participation in the Mutua Madrid Open this Wednesday, falling in the quarterfinals with Andrey Rublev. The champion of the last two editions, who played his first tournament on the European clay tour in the Spanish capital, took stock of a week back on the ATP Tour circuit. Although he failed to protect the crown, the Murcian accumulated valuable time on the court in the Caja Mágica.

“It has been a very positive week. A day before the tournament started, I didn’t know if he was going to be able to play and we have reached the quarterfinals,” explained the Spaniard, who overcame three matches on the Madrid clay. “I have played great games at a good level, so in general it has been positive. Once I get on the court I don’t like to lose. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have the best feelings. If we look at the overall calculation, it has been a very good week.” .

Juan Carlos Ferrero’s pupil leaves the Caja Mágica with a good booty on his legs. After not being able to compete in the Monte Carlo and Barcelona tournaments, stopping his season cold due to a muscle injury in his right forearm, the world No. 3 accumulated the necessary efforts to regain the competition rhythm in the heart of the season.

“I arrived here without playing a racket and little by little I have been having more hours on the court,” said Alcaraz. “My first training session hitting the semi-normal forehand was with Medvedev the day before the tournament started. Playing in the quarterfinals and losing to Andrey Rublev in three sets I think is a positive week.”

“It hurts to lose, it hurts to have options and not take advantage of them,” lamented the Spaniard, who was barely able to confirm one of the eight break points generated in the match, none of them beyond the first set. “It has been a difficult day for me. It had been a long time since I played a game as demanding as yesterday’s. Today I woke up with sore muscles all over my body. The forearm was in holes. All of that has taken its toll on me. I don’t take credit away from Rublev’s game, but you have to deal with everything. “It has been a difficult day for me.”

“Mentally I have been somewhat weaker than at other times. I have complained enough. It hurts me a lot to have opportunities and not take advantage of them. If the other player plays a good point in those moments I applaud him and look for the next one. But if I have an option and I don’t take advantage of it because of silly mistakes, that’s when I really beat myself up. Andrey gives you few opportunities in the match. It hurts when you have them and miss balls that don’t touch. This happened today. I would have liked to be tougher mentally. Maybe that has taken its toll on me.”

Now, with the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome on the horizon, the Murcian has clear his priorities to land at the Foro Italico. Accumulate quality training, take advantage of the momentum gained in Madrid and harden his decisive blow, the one that he has had to temper in his return to the circuit in the Caja Mágica.

“I have to continue working to see if I can recover my right, without thinking about the forearm at any time,” confirmed the Murcian, who will continue wearing a compression mesh on the limb. “I go with that extra protection. We’ll see how these next few weeks go. In Rome I will continue playing with her as a precaution. The goal is to go to Rome with the best possible feelings.”