“On my perfect day, I wake up in the morning and I play a bit of golf,” Rafael Nadal once said. And it’s not just Nadal. We often see a lot of tennis players spend their leisure time on the golf course. It’s a sport that helps them de-stress and it’s no different for Nadal’s compatriot and World number 2 Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard also has a keen interest in golf and Indian Wells is one of his favorite destinations to have a few swings! But after his recent semifinal exit from the BNP Paribas Open, fans are complaining that the 21-year-old is spending a bit too much time on the green. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it?
Carlos Alcaraz’s 16-match winning streak was brought to an end by the British star, Jack Draper who defeated him by 6-1,0-6,6-4 in the semis. With this defeat, Alcaraz’s dream of completing the three-peat in Indian Wells also came to an end! This was only his third defeat in the tournament with Draper joining Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal as the only other players to beat Carlitos.
Draper was a bit surprised by Alcaraz’s performance in that match.”It was a strange match. You know, honestly Carlos came out, he was a bit flat, I sensed that,” the Brit said. Alcaraz hit 30 unforced errors against Draper. And after the match, the Spaniard shared a series of pictures that featured his memorable moments at Indin Wells. He captioned it, “Indian Wells from my camera roll! .” Needless to say the fans weren’t particularly pleased.
That post had a few photos where Alcaraz was seen trying his hand at golf. The British legend Andy Murray was quite impressed, as he commented, “Respect the putting mirror .” Even the Italian tennis stars, Luciano Darderi and Matteo Berrettini dropped their comments on that post.
But the fans took a jibe at Carlitos for shifting his focus to a different sport in the middle of a big tournament. What did they have to say?
Fans taking a jibe at Carlos Alcaraz after seeing him play golf in the middle of the Indian Wells Open
Speaking in the post-match press conference after his defeat to Jack Draper, Carlos Alcaraz admitted that he was very nervous before the match. “Well, I always say that I have to be focused on myself, on my own game. I think today I was more worried about his level, his game, than myself. So I think that was a big problem for me, that I was always thinking about his weakness than my best things. So when you’re thinking more about the opponent than yourself, then it is a big problem,” the Spaniard said.
But one fan looked quite a bit annoyed by the fact that he was playing golf mid-way through the tournament rather than spending more time on the court practicing. “What are you doing man focus,” the fan wrote. Is golf the main cause of distraction for Alcaraz in Indian Wells?
Well, previously we have seen tennis legends like Serena Williams also showcasing their love for golf. Serena often found comfort in the peaceful environment of the golf course which is quite different from tennis. It was more like a brain-teasing exercise for her. Even Novak Djokovic playing golf helps him clear his mind and focus on the game. And it’s the case with plenty of other tennis stars as well who take golf as a mode of relaxation amid their hectic schedules.
Carlos Alcaraz once said, “Well, we play a lot of games when I’m with my team, and mini golf, golf, is one of them. It’s something that turns off my mind a little bit to be happy to enjoy, you know, the time here and, you know, have quality time with my team as well…It’s something that I love to play, love to learn.” However, seeing him play golf at Indian Wells made a fan say, “No wonder Draper got you less golf more tennis Carlito.”
Talking about learning golf, during an interview via NUCLR GOLF in July 2024, Alcaraz admitted, “I’m so, so bad [at golf], compared to my tennis, I mean, I love playing golf, I’m not too good, I’m just finding balls every time, I can’t hit it straight. But it helps me a lot to turn off my mind a little bit and not think about tennis, and relax a little bit.” He even stated that he was ready to play golf ahead of his Wimbledon final just to calm himself down.
But the fans are having none of it. They want Carlitos to focus just on tennis. “Get to play with your head and stop with the golf nonsense,” wrote another fan.
Carlos Alcaraz has a special love for Indian Wells. According to him, “Off the court, I feel at home here. On the court, I feel at home as well.” Speaking about what connects him more to Indian Wells, he added, “As I said, I love it here because I have time to spend with my team, with my family, for myself, as well. So I love playing golf. I think here is the paradise of golf. I try to have time to play golf and turn off my mind. That helps me a lot then to play good tennis.” But the fans think golf is probably not the right sport for him when the tournament is on. “Bro was practicing the wrong sport,” a netizen chimed in. While another added, “Influencer rather than tennis player! That’s why the results are not coming anymore…”
Carlos Alcaraz will be next seen in action at the 2025 Miami Open. He won this title in 2022 and currently holds a 13-3 record at this venue. The last time he was eliminated in the SF of the Indian Wells, he won the title in Miami. Can he repeat the same this time?
The post “No Wonder Draper Got You”- Indian Wells Heartbreak Turns Sour as Fans Call Out Carlos Alcaraz for Off-Court Distractions appeared first on EssentiallySports.
