Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has expressed concerns about his mental state following a surprising second-round exit from the US Open.
The 20-year-old was defeated by Botic van de Zandschulp in a match that lasted two hours and 19 minutes during Thursday’s late session at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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Speaking to the media in Spanish, Alcaraz stressed that players need to be mentally strong to win matches.
“I feel like I’ve taken steps backwards mentally, and I don’t understand why,” Alcaraz said as quoted by APT Tour.
“I left those tournaments saying that I’d taken a step forward mentally. I’d realized that to win big things, to win Grand Slam titles, you have to be mentally strong.
However, Alcaraz acknowledged that something had changed during the US Open series.
“Now I’ve reached this swing and I’ve taken steps backwards, like I’m not doing well mentally, I’m not strong,” he said.
“I don’t know how to control myself when faced with problems, and I don’t know how to handle it. I have to see exactly what happened, or what’s going on with me.”
Reflecting on the demanding nature of his summer schedule, Alcaraz noted that it was hectic.
“It is a very very emotional summer, very demanding. I’ve had my moments of disconnection, but I think I’m still learning about myself,” he said.
He suggested that he might need more time to understand what he needs mentally to compete at the highest level.
“Maybe I’m the kind of person who, with a calendar like that, demands too much of himself mentally. I have to see exactly what’s going on,” he said.
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