With the heightened pressure of surpassing players and winning matches, tennis can bring out the worst side of a player. Carlos Alcaraz was no exception after bringing out his recent act at the Madrid Open.
The US Open 2022 champion is unquestionably a formidable opponent in the sport and is known for maintaining his composure. He has certainly brought pride to his nation, Spain after he became the youngest ATP player to be ranked world No. 1.
Alcaraz has had a fairly good run this season. After defending his Barcelona Open title, the Spaniard is now competing at the Madrid Open. However, his hope of defending the Madrid title was partially disrupted. The events leading to this occurred after he displayed outrage at the tournament.
A rare racket throw by Carlitos 😳#MMOpen pic.twitter.com/vx81C3wnwJ
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 28, 2023
Carlos Alcaraz, during his performance in the Madrid Open’s second-round match against Emil Ruusuvuori, showcased his “mental break.” The Spanish prodigy was witnessed frustratingly throwing his racket mid-match. He overcame the challenge of World No. 41 from Finland after losing the first set and making a comeback. But, later in a press conference, he admitted his regret over his actions on-court.
In the conference, Alcaraz cited that he does not condone such antics and expressed the reason behind his actions as a “mental break.” He stated, “In that game, I remember I was 30-30 and I missed a return on my second serve that I didn’t touch and another ball that I didn’t touch either. It was a mental stop at a moment that made me throw the racket.”
He further added, “I don’t support that kind of thing, but today it came out, which I regret. I talked about it with Juan Carlos and I know that this kind of thing can’t happen. The good thing is that I have rectified and I have continued to be positive, that’s what has made me improve.”
Alcaraz has managed to surf to the tournament’s next round. That, however, doesn’t ignore the fact that his rival Emil Ruusuvuori could have potentially ended his journey in the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Carlos Alcaraz had a tough match against Emil Ruusuvuori
Carlos Alcaraz certainly poured all his determination and will into overcoming Emil Ruusuvuori’s challenge in the Madrid Open. In a post-match press conference, he held his opponent in high regard. Furthermore, he also cited his view on the condition of Spain’s capital, Madrid.
“I would say I was about to lose. It was tough for me to get used to the conditions. There is so much altitude here, the ball bounces a lot. I am not going to use excuses. Emil was better than me until 3-3 in the second set, hitting the ball with no mistakes, serving well with a lot of rhythm. It was tough for me to stay with him. But I am happy to come back and finish with a lot of confidence,” spoke Alcaraz.
3️⃣3️⃣
👊🏻 Hoy llegó la victoria 33 de @carlosalcaraz en los ATP Masters 1000 en el #MMOPEN
😉 ¡Ahora te toca a ti, @alo_oficial! pic.twitter.com/AlhsTSYBQ5
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) April 28, 2023
The Spaniard is now set to face Grigor Dimitrov in the event’s third round. If he manages to overthrow the Bulgarian tennis player, he will run ahead in their head-to-head, which currently sits at 1-1.