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🇪🇸 Spain /Sports

Alcaraz: “I now feel capable of winning the tournament”

From La Vanguardia · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Carlos Alcaraz defeated Tommy Paul in three sets, marking his first significant test since returning from a four-and-a-half-month layoff.
  • Alcaraz has won 28 of his 31 US Open matches, giving him a 90.3% winning rate, the highest in the Open Era.
  • After four strong matches, he said he now feels capable of winning the tournament, while maintaining that each match should be enjoyed without assuming how long his run will last.

Carlos Alcaraz says he has moved beyond the warm-up stage of his comeback. After beating Tommy Paul in three sets, the Spaniard believes he is now playing at a level that could carry him all the way to the US Open title.

Paul, ranked 21st and Alcaraz’s first major test since returning, defended well and forced him into uncomfortable positions at times. But the American ultimately fell in straight sets. “Beating Tommy Paul is always a good reference for knowing where you are,” Alcaraz said. He added that his serve could still improve, but said he was pleased and wanted to enjoy the moment.

Beating Tommy Paul is always a good reference for knowing where you are.

· Carlos AlcarazHe assessed the significance of defeating his first major opponent since returning to competition.

Arthur Ashe Stadium has been particularly favorable territory for Alcaraz, whether he plays during the day or under the lights. He has won 28 of 31 matches there, a 90.3% success rate that the article identifies as the highest among any player in the Open Era. The figure compares with Pete Sampras at 88.8%, Roger Federer at 86.4% and Novak Djokovic at 85.6%.

After four very good matches, I now feel capable of winning the tournament.

· Carlos AlcarazHe described how his expectations changed after the opening rounds.

Alcaraz has not treated the opening rounds as proof that every part of his game is complete. He rated both his tournament and his latest performance as a seven out of 10, while pointing to areas where he wants to feel more comfortable. At the start, he said, he had no expectations and only wanted to see how his body, especially his wrist, responded to competition. “After four very good matches, I now feel capable of winning the tournament.”

He immediately tempered that declaration by returning to the mindset he brought into the event. Every time he steps on court, he said, it is a gift and a moment to enjoy, without knowing when his final day might come. His self-criticism also extends beyond matches. After complaining about missed forehands against Wu, he returned to the practice courts to hit more balls and leave with better sensations before the next round.

At the start of the tournament, I came with no expectations, simply to see how my body reacted, especially my wrist.

· Carlos AlcarazHe explained his cautious approach to the tournament after his layoff.
About this summary

Originally published by La Vanguardia in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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