Carlos Alcaraz and breaking records? Yeah, that’s practically a match made in tennis heaven. At just 21, this Spanish powerhouse has already ticked off achievements most players only dream of. From clay to grass, he’s conquered it all — well, almost. One box still left unchecked? A title on indoor hard courts. But guess what? Alcaraz is close to making that happen, and let’s just say, he’s brimming with confidence.
The Spanish tennis sensation has qualified for the final match of the Rotterdam Open and will take on Australia’s Alex de Minaur on February 9. His latest match came against Hubert Hurkacz, where despite losing the second set, Alcaraz managed to clinch a dominating victory. Now, as he gears up for the final, the star player seems to be confident and is aiming to silence the doubters with a strong message.
Speaking in an interaction with the Press, Alcaraz opened up on his desire to win his first Indoor title and become the first Spanish player to do so. “It’s my first time in Rotterdam, and it feels like I’ve been coming here for years due to the love and support I’m receiving. Additionally, knowing that no Spanish player has won here motivates me.” Continuing further, he hinted that his aim is all to clap back at those critics who have doubted his potential on the indoor hard courts.
“It’s my first indoor final, something special because there has been a lot of talk about my performances on these types of courts, so tomorrow is a good opportunity to show that I can indeed play well in these conditions,” he added, per Punto de Break. Notably, Alcaraz’s records on the surface have also remained quite concerning.
Alcaraz had previously been to the semifinals at three indoor tournaments – Vienna in 2021, Basen in 2022, and the ATP Finals in 2023. However, he was stopped by his opponents on all three stages by his opponents. Interestingly, even the experts of the game have also raised questions about his tactics on the surface. Commenting on the Spaniard’s performance on the indoor courts, Julien Varlet earlier highlighted his challenges in an interview with the French publication Lequipe. “On this surface, he does not have the right tactics. He plays point by point. It is a bit messy,” he said.
Similar views came from Roger Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic, who said, “Alcaraz hasn’t convinced me on the inside courts yet. He has a very high level on hard courts, but on indoor courts, even in Turin last year, he suffered a lot.” But now, Alcaraz has a good chance to prove his mettle also because of the fact that he has never lost against de Minaur in the 2 matches that they have played. However, besides his previous setbacks on the indoor courts, there is yet another challenge that lies ahead of Carlos Alcaraz in the Rotterdam Open finals, and it’s all about his health.
Carlos Alcaraz opens up on his health woes ahead of Rotterdam showdown
Carlos Alcaraz has immensely high chances of lifting the title in Rotterdam and crafting a history but there are challenges too. One of the major roadblocks that he needs to overcome is his health which has troubled the star player quite a lot. And to increase the struggles, Alcaraz revealed that he is still not at his 100%.
The 21-year-old arrived in Rotterdam with a cold that posed serious challenges for him. He has been seen wearing a nose strip throughout the tournament to increase the flow of air through his nostrils and help him breathe. While he has made significant improvements, Alcaraz admitted, “I’m still not at 100%.” When quizzed about his nose strip, Alcaraz hinted that fans might see him wearing it again during the finals.
“It helps me breathe, but I do use it as a superstition. If I started the week with it, I finish with it,” he added. Now, as the match unfolds, it will be interesting to see if Alcaraz can overcome the challenges and win his first indoor titles. Will Alex de Minaur let it happen? Well, only time will tell.
The post Determined Carlos Alcaraz Sends Bold Message to Naysayers as He Looks to Script History at ATP Rotterdam appeared first on EssentiallySports.
