Alcaraz: ‘I feel like I’ve gone backwards mentally'

The clock read 35 minutes before Carlos Alcaraz hit his first winner of the night. He needed 55 minutes more to get the break that would open his account for the evening. The Spaniard bowed out of the US Open in the second round at the hands of Botic van de Zandschulp after two hours and 19 minutes during Thursday's late session inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Throughout the match, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings frequently pointed to his head, gesturing to his team that this essential part of his game was not running altogether smoothly.

And that was exactly where the Murcia native was pointing minutes after bowing out to the Dutchman. It was honest. It was raw. It was clear and unapologetic.

“Right now, I feel like I’ve taken steps backwards mentally and I don’t understand why,” admitted a serious-looking Alcaraz in Spanish as he sat before the media in the US Open press conference room. “I’ve had a spectacular summer at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. I left those tournaments saying that I’d taken a step forward mentally. I’d realised that to win big things, to win Grand Slam titles, you have to be mentally strong.

“Now I’ve reached this swing and I’ve taken steps backwards, like I’m not doing well mentally, I’m not strong. I don’t know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don’t know how to handle it. I have to see exactly what happened, or what’s going on with me.

“It’s been a very emotional summer, very demanding... I’ve had my moments of disconnection, but I think I’m still learning about myself. Maybe, as a person, I need more time. I have to get to know myself, what I need. Maybe I’m the kind of person who, with a calendar like that, demands too much of himself mentally. I have to see exactly what’s going on.”

After the defeat, Alcaraz left for his hotel with one question in particular on his mind; what comes next?

“Right now, I really don’t want to say anything because it could be completely the opposite,” responded the Spaniard. “I have to talk to the people close to me, with my team, my people, and to see what steps we will take. Obviously, I have more tournaments coming up, but I honestly don’t want to think about that at all.”

The result means Alcaraz ends his 2024 Grand Slam season with a quarter-final run at the Australian Open, the Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles, and a second-round appearance at the US Open.

Editor's note: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es

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