"Seemed very skinny and lacked physically": First thoughts from Roberto Carballes Baena on meeting 15-year-old Carlos Alcaraz
ATPSaturday, 23 March 2024 at 13:55
Albeit likely rain delayed, Carlos Alcaraz will face off against fellow Spaniard, Roberto Carballes Baena in his Miami Open second round this evening aiming to cement the Sunshine Double.
Carballes Baena has known Alcaraz since he was 15, but was actually left fairly shocked about his progression from being a player who wasn't very strong physically and looked skinny according to the Spaniard to one who became one of the best aggressors on court and has achieved so much success already only five years on.
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But in terms of the person he met when he was 15, Carballes Baena said he is the same humble and friendly person and that he hasn't changed at all in that time no matter how high he has gone in the sport so far. They are slated to play around midnight on Sunday morning, but with rain delays likely that could be later.
"I saw Carlitos [Carlos Alcaraz] play for the first time in Murcia," said Carballes Baena to Punto de Break. "Carlitos is still the same one I met when he was 15 years old. He is a ten-year-old guy, super simple, friendly and always has a smile, he hasn't changed much."
"He [Carlos Alcaraz] seemed very skinny and lacked physically, but he had a ball speed that was not normal for someone his age and we did see a different mentality in him. And then the progression that he has had surprised me, because I thought he was going to suffer physically, but in a short time he reached a very high level," Carballes Baena added.
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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.
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