Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Saturday, October 5, 2024
Photo credit: Shi Tang/Getty
Stumbling upon the disappointing season of the American summer court, Carlos Alcaraz flying high in China this fall.
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Beijing champion Alcaraz swept the talented Chinese Juncheng Shang 6-3, 6-2 in his Rolex Shanghai Masters debut.
It was Alcaraz’s 10th win in a row.
Battered by the feeling of falling to Olympic gold medalist Novak Djokovic in Paris, Alcaraz was upset by Gael Monfils in his Cincinnati opener before bowing out to Botic van de Zandschulp in a shock second-round match at the US Open.
Since then, Alcaraz has won 19 of 21 sets in his 10-match winning streak.
“I think I feel good on the court, physically I feel good,” Alcaraz told the media in Shanghai. “For me, with my tennis, it’s very important to feel that way. I hit the ball really, really well, so I try to be the same way in matches.”
The reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion attributes his downfall to two simple reasons: He feels good in his body and reconnects with the joy of playing.
“I’m a guy who tries to keep good things. For example, in the American swing, it didn’t go as I expected, so I had more time to prepare well for this part of the season,” said Alcaraz. “I’ve been working really hard for some weeks, I’m doing a really good job on the field, just to feel good about coming to this tournament.
“I think that’s the difference, that’s why I’m showing very good tennis, because physically I feel happy and, you know, I’m just trying to be happy and enjoy my time on the court, I’m playing good points, playing good rallies, and the way I’m hitting the ball is good lately.”
