Carlos Alcaraz turning pressure into motivation in Madrid

Spain has a new King rising, and his name is Carlos. After a meteoric rise to the top of men™s tennis, the teenager has maintained his form in 2023 amassing a superlative 23-2 record.

The wave of Spanish support was clear for all to see when Alcaraz got his clay court swing underway in Barcelona earlier this month, with fans even flocking to practice courts and chanting his name. Alcaraz rode that wave all the way to another title without dropping a set.

"I don't take it as pressure, actually the complete opposite," the 19-year-old told atptour.com, referring to the support.

"For me it's motivation. It's a pleasure to see so many people, I like playing in front of such big crowds, and even more so in Spain. It's a really big motivation. Our intention is to have fun on court and also to entertain. When I manage to have fun on court I play my best tennis.

"My style of game is very lively, doing different things. The smile comes from within when I'm enjoying myself. With my team, when I'm feeling frustrated, we have a little joke about something to make me smile and change my perspective on the match."

With the absence of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz is the outright favourite to defend his title. The Spaniard will begin his quest against Emil Ruusuvuori or Ugo Humbert on Friday.

"Physically, I feel good. I feel 100 percent," he added.

"I can't wait to get going in Madrid. With the level I produced in Barcelona, winning the title, I'm coming here with a lot of confidence. We all know it's difficult to adapt to Madrid, but we have a few days before we start. I really can't wait."