Feliciano Lopez discusses pressure and fatigue in Alcaraz's US Open performance

Feliciano Lopez analyzed Carlos Alcaraz's early defeat in the second round of the US Open. 'Carlitos' came in as one of the main contenders after winning the last two Grand Slams, achieving the 'Channel Slam' by securing the title at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The former Spanish tennis player Lopez granted an interview to Sky Sports in which he explained that Alcaraz's defeat can partly be attributed to mental fatigue amid a demanding season on the Tour: "I think he's really disappointed. I don't remember the last Slam where he lost in the second round, probably a long time ago. I think he's mentally exhausted at this part of the season,” he said.

“I remember that after losing last year at the US Open, he had a bad last part of the season. It's not the first time that it's happened, maybe he played too much in the last three or four months,” the former world No. 12 added.

“The schedule has asked for an extra effort from the tennis players this year considering that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were added after Wimbledon and before the US Open. I would also like to talk about the pressure he now feels. We can't forget that he's only 21,” Feliciano Lopez commented.

“He's already won a lot and the expectations are always high, but this loss should make him appreciate even more what he's doing at his age. He's a human being too and he can have a bad day. There's nothing to worry about, he'll go on and play a lot more in 2024. I'm sure he'll be ready," said Lopez.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion praised his rival Botic Van De Zandschulp for his great performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, he was self-critical for not finding solutions against the Dutchman's good level: "I don't know what to say right now. I think he played very well. He played very good tennis. I thought he would give me more free points, but he didn't make any mistakes,” Alcaraz said in a press conference.

“That confused me a little bit. I didn't know how to handle it. I couldn't raise my level. I think my tennis has always been at the same point. It wasn't enough to give me a chance to win. What can I say? I didn't feel good hitting the ball and I made a lot of mistakes," the world No. 3 added.

a"The schedule is very difficult. I played a lot of matches, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the Olympics. I took a couple of days off after the Games. I thought it was enough, but it wasn't. Maybe I came here without the energy I thought I had. I don't want to use that as an excuse, but I'm the type of player who needs more days off before a big tournament. I have to learn from that."