ATP Masters Indian Wells: Carlos Alcaraz and the search for the old self-confidence
Carlos Alcaraz meets Felix Auger-Aliassime in the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells ATP Masters 1000 event. Slowly but surely, the Spaniard is regaining his confidence.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Mar 15, 2023, 08:45 pm
A few days ago, Carlos Alcaraz achieved something that many ATP professionals are denied throughout their careers: winning 100 matches in the circus of the best tennis players on the planet. Side note: the Spaniard has achieved this at the tender age of 19. And only one player has ever done that in fewer matches: John McEnroe. Well, the fact that Alcaraz is down by just one defeat in these statistics will probably only concern Alcaraz to a limited extent.
Rather, the focus of the teenager is already on starting the next triumph in Tennis Paradise in California. The Spaniard has sometimes managed this quite splendidly, after strong performances Alcaraz is already in the last eight. Also because self-confidence is constantly increasing. A key factor when returning from injury, as the 19-year-old underlines: "One of the most important goals since returning to the Tour is to regain my usual confidence. In my first tournament, the Argentina Open, I didn't feel at all like a favorite, for example."
Alcaraz and a favorite hit
From the first matches, he, Alcaraz, saw how this self-confidence came back - together with his shots and his aggressive style of play. "Now I feel like I can win, that I'm there and that I'm one of the favourites. But initially, when I started playing tournaments again, I didn't feel like the favourite," explains Alcaraz. For whom it is in Indian Wells in the quarter-finals against Felix Auger-Aliassime - a player who recently gave the Spaniard headaches again and again.
Accordingly, it will also take a hit that can be described as a yardstick for Alcaraz: the forehand longline ball. "It's a shot that helps me understand where I'm at right now. If I hit that shot very well, then I say to myself, ok, I know I'm playing at my best level right now," he said the Spaniard. "Let's say it's one of my favorite shots on the pitch. It's a shot where I hit the ball very hard, which means you have to hit it very clean," said the Spaniard.
This shot is all the more effective against players of the Felix Auger-Aliassime brand, who themselves have an extremely strong forehand, but often reveal minor weaknesses on the backhand side. This has sometimes worked rather mediocre in previous encounters: At the US Open 2021, in the Davis Cup and in Basel, the duels sometimes went clearly to the Canadian. Who is still looking for self-confidence even in the 2023 calendar year.