Carlos Alcaraz is part of a rare breed as he has made it clear that becoming world No 1 is his top priority while he also insists he is ready to win a Grand Slam.
Alcaraz is one of the hottest properties in the world of tennis as he has won four ATP Tour titles this year and has climbed to a career-high of No 6 in the rankings. The teenager has won two ATP Masters titles – the Miami Open, which was his maiden Masters 1000 crown, and the Madrid Open – while he also lifted trophies at the Rio Open and Barcelona Open.
Asked by Argentina’s La Nacion how he keeps his feet on the ground, he replied:
"I have to thank my family and my team, who are always telling me what I have to do, what is good for me and what is not so good. In the end, I want my whims, I want my things and many times they are not ideal right now. So that’s when my team and my family come in to tell me: ‘Wait a bit, don’t be in such a hurry, go little by little’, and so on."
On his goals, Alcaraz added:
“I am also a guy who is quite clear about things. I am clear about my goal, I am clear about my dream, which is to be No 1 in the world and no matter how many tournaments come, no matter how many things come right now, I still haven’t managed to be No 1. It helps me to be with my feet on the soil to continue trying to fulfill my dreams.”
He also said:
“I’m not afraid to say that I’m ready to win a Grand Slam Physically I feel very well. I am mentally strong. I am a strong player and in the end that is what it takes to win a Grand Slam.Now the level is accompanying me. I feel good and quite confident. It’s a host of things that can throw me up and I’m not afraid to say I’m ready to do it.”