ATP Cincinnati: Carlos Alcaraz - "Couldn't handle the pressure in Montreal"
Carlos Alcaraz is number three in the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati. The Spaniard drew the right conclusions from his early exit in Montreal against Tommy Paul.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 16, 2022, 09:06 am
Anyone who has 42 match wins and only eight defeats in mid-August of a tennis season has basically done a lot right. That's especially true for someone who's still banging around the tennis scene as a teenager. Nevertheless, Carlos Alcaraz has been going through a small slump in recent weeks, which started with the final defeat in Hamburg against Lorenzo Musetti. After that, Alcaraz also lost the Umag final against Jannik Sinner. And his opening game against Tommy Paul in Montreal.
Alcaraz would like to play for the title again this week in Cincinnati, the 19-year-old joins after a bye against Mackenzie McDonald. And has drawn a line under the performance at the Canadian 1000s. "I understand everything that happened in Montreal," said Alcaraz at his press conference before the tournament started in Cincinnati. "I couldn't handle the pressure of being one of the favorites for the title." However, Alcaraz already proved in Miami this spring that he is capable of winning a Masters event on hard court in the USA.
Alcaraz on course Nadal
In Montreal, Paul repeatedly attacked Alcaraz's backhand, but the match could have ended in favor of the Spaniard: he was already leading with set and break. But Carlos Alcaraz also noticed that the hunter had become the hunted. And can live with that. "I take that as a compliment. I think all players push themselves to be better than me on the court."
The draw for Cincinnati is tough: After McDonald, a meeting with Marin Cilic could wait, in the quarterfinals Casper Ruud would be the programmed opponent. And in the semi-finals, the tableau befits an encounter with Rafael Nadal . He, in turn, has known for decades how to deal with the pressure of going into a game as a favorite.