"I love having time for me if I have to be honest": Carlos Alcaraz once again raises voice about hectic schedule

Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about the need for having some time off from tennis to recover with friends and family. The 22-year-old has remained vocal about the need for a break for tennis players because of a hectic schedule.

In 2024, Alcaraz was among the most well-known tennis players to speak out about the scheduling and how it needs to improve. “Probably during the next few years gonna be even more tournaments, more mandatory tournaments. So, I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way,” he said back then.

Later in September, Alcaraz once again reiterated his point and stated that sometimes he does not feel motivated at all. “My energy level right now, it is good,” said Alcaraz. “I’ve seen and I’ve hear a lot of players complain about the schedule, about the calendar as well. Didn’t see after my words, after this I didn’t hear, I didn’t seen people or players talk about that. I’ve seen it before, before my words. It depends as well about the players. I’m talking about that. Probably a few players, a lot of players are not going in my side; a lot of them going to be in my side complaining about the calendar, that it is so tight. It depends about the feelings of every player.”

Alcaraz has once again shared his perspective about the need for a break for tennis players. Alcaraz returned to court after taking a long break following his Wimbledon final defeat to Italy’s Jannik Sinner, where he came second-best in the contest with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. He featured in the round of 64 of the Cincinnati Open, where he defeated Damir Dzumhur with a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. Alcaraz spoke to the media after the match and stated that he feels fresh after coming from a break where he had the chance to spend some time with his friends and family. Alcaraz also went on to state that it is pivotal for him to return ‘stronger and hungry’ and highlighted how spending two weeks at home was ‘unbelievable’.

"I love having time for me if I have to be honest,” said Alcaraz. “I always say that's what you are working for as well, you know? Okay, I love playing tennis and I love when I step on the court, but sometimes it's too many days in a row, too many weeks in a row. So I just love to take my time off just with my family, with my friends, just at home, doing nothing at all. For me it's needful to come back stronger and hungry, to catch the racket and hit some balls. For me, it has been great days after Roland Garros, my days in Ibiza and then I came back stronger to the grass season, title (Queen's) and making the final and then yeah, I had a week completely off. I went to southern Spain, which was great and then two weeks at home was unbelievable."

Despite that defeat in the final of the Wimbledon, Alcaraz is going through another impressive season where he has won a Grand Slam as well, which was the French Open, where he snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and stunned Sinner to eventually come out on top in a five-set thriller with a score of 4-6, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6. Alcaraz’s next round opponent will be Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic, who cemented his spot in the third round after beating Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 7-6. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two players in professional tennis.