Carlos Alcaraz: “I was a little nervous” | ATP Tour

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Alcaraz: “I was a little nervous”

The Spanish premiered in Indian Wells defeating Quentin Halys

March 09, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz officially began his journey in the BNP Paribas Open of Indian Wells this Saturday, when he beat Quentin Halys in two sets to debut with victory in a tournament in which he adds 13 consecutive wins, and where he has won the title the last two years (2023, 2024) showing a perfect tune with the Californian desert.

“I am very happy for the victory because he is playing very well, and it came from doing semifinals in Dubai,” Alcaraz celebrated after the victory. “I was a little nervous at the start of the game, I knew I needed to calm down and be very concentrated. I have some small things to improve the next round, but a victory in this way is always positive. I am with high confidence, and we will try to move on. ”

Those nerves, that No. 3 of the PIF ATP Rankings acknowledged having felt at the start, had a clear origin for the young champion of four Grand Slam titles.

“I have played many tournaments, but every year it is different,” Alcaraz said. “There are different sensations and everything is different. For example, it was the first time I played against Halys, for example. Obviously, speaking of this tournament, I want to go far, and that is probably an extra pressure. That’s why he was a bit tense, ”the 21 -year -old continued. “I tried to show that I wasn’t, but I think it’s normal.”

Thus, Alcaraz managed to control those nerves, demonstrating great temperance to be able to focus 100% on his tennis in the match against the French player.

“It was not easy to control emotions,” the Spanish confessed. “I was very nervous before starting, so I had to focus on myself, control the nerves and try to play good tennis at the beginning,” he insisted. “I think I’ve done very well.”

The Spanish, who seeks to be the third tennis player after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic who manages to win three consecutive titles in Indian Wells, also has in the mind the objective of recovering the world No. 1, although not in the short term.

“It’s something that is in my mind, but in each tournament I am in myself and in playing a good tennis,” said Alcaraz. “If I do things well in each tournament, number one will come later. I have to get good results and win tournaments. If I focus on recovering the number one, I am putting an extra pressure that I do not want.”

Alcaraz, in addition, praised the conditions of one of his favorite Tour Tour tournaments.

“Fans have always given me love and love and outside the track I feel at home,” he said. “I am very calm and that is very important to show good tennis then on the track.”

Alcaraz will play next Tuesday against Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the first ATP Masters 1000 of the season.