Carlos Alcaraz to CNN: ‘I’m playing unbelievable tennis’
The Spaniard, ranked number 9 in the world, is riding a run of success including a dominant win over Roger Federer for the No. 1 spot at the ATP World Tour Finals and last week’s US Open.
Carlos Alcaraz tells CNBC: “In terms of fitness and my ability to go through long matches, I’m playing unbelievable tennis right now. I feel strong and fit. I feel like it’s never hit me like this.”
Alcaraz, the second Spaniard (Alfredo Cuevas) to win the U.S. Open and only eighth Spaniard to win the Australian Open, will make his first appearance at the ATP 500 World Tour Finals in London.
Alcaraz, who was a member of the top-ranked team at the 2014 Australian Open, says the new format was a key factor in his rise.
“It’s a new era, we are going to get into new tournaments, a new format, new players. The tour is better, it’s a better tour,” Alcaraz told CNBC at the US Open. “I think the players are better. They are playing with more freedom and I think that’s the future of tennis.”
He also spoke to reporters at the US Open, where he had mixed reactions to his latest loss – 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) to Juan Martín del Potro in the first round.
“I knew I couldn’t win the ball and I was right, not because of the result, but for some reason my movement was not good and I could not find him on the ground,” he said. “I could not do what I wanted. It was a really tough match, I have many hours to think in one of them.”
Alcaraz is a two-time winner of the U.S. Open, having won in 2012 and 2014.
Cavendish claims title at Qatar Open
Andy Murray has a very different kind of year, as he reached the third round of Wimbledon in his first appearance since the 2014 British Open.
When he defeated Lukas Rosol 6-3, 6-3, in two hours,