"I don't need too many matches to be at my best": Carlos Alcaraz left bullish after swatting aside J.J Wolf at Roland Garros
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz found his way comfortably past J.J Wolf to begin his campaign at the 2024 French Open as the World No.3 eased through 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 to dispel fears about his forearm which have plagued him in recent weeks.
Albeit of course in the case of Alcaraz, this is all well and good but it will depend on how he plays against bigger name opposition. The Spaniard who reached the semi-finals in 2023 where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic now holds a first round record at majors of 13-0. He next faces either Jack Draper or Jesper De Jong with the Brit fighting back to force a deciding set.
In a match ironically that was started before Alcaraz' win showing the true dominance he showed. He believes that in a few matches time, he will be back towards his best. As well as that he wasn't favouring his forearm by his own admission but that it is feeling better and better. An ominous sign when it comes to Alcaraz who is the betting favourite over the next fortnight despite coming in having only played one tournament.
Such is the fractured nature of the tournament which sees many of the top names including Alcaraz as well as Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner having real doubts about how they are playing and potential injuries. As many as 15 players are seen as contenders and Alcaraz will aim to show that he is one when it comes to the end of the tournament.
"I don't need too many matches to be at my best," said Alcaraz. "I only played four times in Madrid. Of course, I'd have loved to have played more but I don't need many to be at 100%. I have practised with a lot of top players in Paris this week and the forearm is feeling better and better."
"My arm is almost 100%. I’m still afraid to hit 100% but I didn’t feel anything after the match"
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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