Carlos Alcaraz after beating Gasquet at Australian Open John McEnroe: “Is there any time where you hit shots to try to impress the crowd & you just wanna show what you got?” *crowd cheers* Carlos: “Sometimes.” 😂
"Sometimes it's hard to smile on the court, but I try to do it": Carlos Alcaraz gives key to his game after Australian Open win
ATPTuesday, 16 January 2024 at 14:10
The start of the Australian Open 2024 for Carlos Alcaraz has gone almost as expected. The Spaniard has beaten Frenchman Richard Gasquet in three sets by 6(5)-7, 1-6, 2-6, and will face Lorenzo Sonego in the second round of the first Grand Slam of the year.
At the beginning, Alcaraz had the same problems that he had during last season. The world No. 2 was struggling with every break opportunity he had. In fact, he did not win any of the first nine he had. However, he managed to pull out the match.
In his statements after the match on the court, where he was interviewed by John McEnroe, Carlos Alcaraz explained how complicated it was for him to get into the match: "I always try to smile on the court. Obviously there are times when it is very difficult to do so. The pressure is there. The nerves are there. In those moments it's hard to enjoy playing. But I also have my team. When I struggle a little bit or I'm angry on the court, they put a smile on their faces to try to bring joy to the court. That's the key to my game. I try to do that every day."
In addition, Alcaraz also had time to praise the attitude both on and off the court of his rival Gasquet: "Richard is a great player, but I would say he is an even better person. He has always been there. A very, very nice person... we don't talk much but he's a very nice guy. He's proven throughout his career that he's an incredible player. He's very talented. His backhand is unbelievable, crazy. It's great to play against him...his talent is there. He's an unbelievable player.
The second round match between Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Sonego will be played this coming Thursday, January 17, at 10:15 a.m. CET.
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