Spain’s young tennis star
Carlos Alcaraz has begun his preparation
for the
French Open 2024.
The 19-year-old is often regarded as one of the most
highly-rated players currently playing in the men’s singles category, alongside Italy’s Jannik Sinner.
In a video that appeared on the social media platform X — previously
known as Twitter — Alcaraz can be seen cleaning his lines on the clay court
as he is watched by his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The former world number one will be hoping for a much-improved
show at the Roland Garros this time around. Last year, he was knocked out in
the semifinal after losing to the current world number one Serbia’s Novak Djokovic
with a score of 3-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1.
That defeat last year did not derail Alcaraz’s march towards
another Grand Slam as just a month later, he went on to lift the Wimbledon
title after beating Djokovic in the final in a five-set thriller with a score
of 1–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4.
From there on, not much went right for Alcaraz. He first
lost in the semifinal of the US Open to the current world number three Russia’s
Daniil Medvedev with a score of 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
In the first Grand Slam of the year — Australian Open — Alcaraz
had another disappointing outing as he lost to Germany’s Alexander Zverev in
the quarterfinal with a score of 6-1, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4.