Alkarath: “I’m nothing special, I worked hard for it”

Carlos Alcarath approaches the American triumph with humility and the strong will to achieve even more success in the future.

Speaking to fellow journalists a day after winning the US Open title, the youngest tennis player to ever rise to the world No. 1 ranking admitted he doesn’t feel special while expressing his wish one day to play against Roger Federer.

At the same time he spoke about the valuable help of his psychologist, but also about the fears on and off the pitch.

His interview in detail

You’ve said many times that becoming world number one was your dream. Is there anything else that still excites you?

“Playing Federer would excite me and beating the Big 3 at a Grand Slam. I always say to be the best you have to beat the best.”

In an interview years ago you denied being single. Now you are breaking all records at a very young age. Have you started feeling something special?

“My answer remains the same. Nobody gives you anything. You don’t just snap your fingers and it’s yours. You have to work hard. I think the Grand Slam title and world No. 1 came because I was very hard with have worked on my team for a long time.

The street wasn’t paved with rose petals. I had to suffer and go through hard times to get there. I’m nothing special and I never said I’d be the best, I worked for it.”

You always talk about your team and family, but is the success rate more related to your work in the spiritual part?

“I’ve been working with a psychologist for two or three years now. She is a great professional and one of the reasons I am number 1 at the moment. I’ve improved a lot because of her.”

What weapons did he give you?

“We talk a lot and he gives me advice in certain situations. ‘You have to do this, you have to do that’. Things that help me on the pitch, he gave me a lot of tools.”

Also deal with journalists and people?

“No, in that area. I am myself. He didn’t give me tools for that. It’s more about the pitch, how you deal with situations.”

what are your routines

“I don’t have a specific routine before games. I warm up and try to be in the same place as my team. I can listen to music if I want to.”

In the match I have some prejudices with the towels, carrying 4 balls, bouncing 5 times, bottles always lined up, always drink from a certain one first and eat a bite from my bar before eating a banana (laughs)”.

What does a day in your life outside of tennis look like?

“Honestly I’m a simple person and just having fun with friends, on a bench, in the car or in a house. Talk, laugh, tell jokes. That makes me happy.”

Everyone describes you as a player who is not afraid of anything on the pitch. What scares Carlos Alcarath?

“Honestly, the only thing I fear is failure. That’s probably one of my fears. I don’t want to let people down.”

Failure in what sense?

“To not be able to meet their expectations. Even if I’ve won a Grand Slam or I’m world No. 1 now, there will probably be tournaments where There are expectations and I cannot meet them.

Mainly to disappoint the people around me. As for everyone else, there are many people who think and have opinions, but I speak for those close to me. That’s what scares me the most.”

And extrajudicial?

“I’m afraid of the dark. I’m not a fan of thrillers. I get scared of a lot of things.”

Nadal holds the record with 22 Grand Slams. You just won your first…

“I’ve been proud every time Rafa has won a Grand Slam. If I lose a Grand Slam, I will always support the Spaniard. I won one, I don’t feel close. I have 21 left to catch him. Im Right now I’m thinking about the second, which very few tennis players have achieved, that’s my goal.

source: tennis24