Carlos Alcaraz has revealed his problems finding a partner: he hasn’t had a girlfriend for 18 months

The rise of Carlos Alcaraz in the Olympus of tennis it was a marathon. A professional since 2018, he won his first Grand Slam last year, in New York, and the week after that triumph he became the youngest number one in history. At just 19, the Spaniard had fulfilled the dream that had driven him from the beginning – a dream many players never achieve – and had become the next big star on the circuit. But what happened next was not easy for him.

So confessed the Murcian in an interview with the magazine Voguewhile training at the Academy of Juan Carlos Ferrerohis coach, in Villena, Spain.

“I had a bad run after winning the US Open“, said the number two in the world consulted for the most difficult moment of his short and extraordinary career. “I really liked that moment. But when I had to compete again, there was a moment where I thought: ‘Fatigue!’. Maybe she hadn’t fully absorbed what had happened. Or maybe I instinctively lost hope a little.”

And he continued: “I think what happened was, when I saw that I had achieved what I had dreamed of since I was little, subconsciously that aspiration kind of faded away. And that was difficult. Because nobody was having fun : not me, on the pitch; nor Juanki, seeing myself so dull and lacking momentum. “Where do I go now?”“.

That bad time was left behind. Alcaraz ended 2022 at the top of the standings – he relinquished that position last month, following the triumph of Novak Djokovic in Australia- and in good tennis moment, beyond an abdominal injury that sidelined him since ATP Finals and the Finals of Davis Cup.

And after recovering from the leg problem that forced him to delay the start of his 2023 season, he kicked off the season last week at the Open Argentinawhere he won his seventh title.

His psychologist played an important role in that mental recovery Isabel Balaguerwhich had already helped him in his first years as a professional.

“I was a bit disoriented. I didn’t control my emotions well, I got very angry. When I was 15 or 16 I often threw my rackets, or broke one, and this put my game at risk. I knew I had to improve in this I wait. Thanks to Isabel, I succeeded. Feeling serene during such a busy year is essential. And from my point of view, it is essential to go on the field smiling and feeling happy . This helps you mentally. For me, that’s everything, “he said.

This year Carlitos aims to recover the number 1, but he knows that the hardest thing in tennis is not getting there, but staying. “What Rafa Did (nadal), Ruggero (Federer) and Djokovic is almost impossible. When you win your first Grand Slam you realize how complicated it is “, she commented in that talk with Vogue, analyzing the dominance exercised – and continues to exercise – by Big 3 for nearly two decades.

And he clarified why his childhood idol was not the Mallorcan, but the Swiss. “Raf He’s someone I always admire and I admire him a lot. But the class that Federer had, the way he made people watch tennis, it was beautiful. Seeing Roger is like looking at a work of art. He is elegance, he did everything beautifully. I was happy with him.”

open heart

Alcaraz opened up her heart and mind in the interview and shared details of her life outside of tennis. And she confessed how difficult it is for him to maintain a relationship: she has been single for 18 months.

“It’s tricky because we never stay in the same place for long. It’s hard to find the one person who can share things with you if you’re always in different parts of the world,” she explained.

The Murciano also said that when tennis gives him rest, his day is that of a normal 19-year-old boy. He likes spending time with his friends, watching football (he is a self-confessed fan of real Madrid) and enjoy board games.

“I love chess,” he said. “Having to concentrate, playing against another person, the strategy, having to think about the future. In that it is very similar to the tennis court, that’s why I play it a lot. On the court, you have to guess where the other is going to send the player ball you have to move in advance and try to do something that makes him feel uncomfortable.”

And he said the money he’s making in his sports career — added to what he makes from his business contracts — isn’t managed by him.

“My father takes care of it. I’m quite young and have my whims, but I’m very natural, normal, humble. I don’t pay much attention to brands or cars. If I like something, I try to buy it, but in the end my father takes care of everything,” he explained.

And he clarified that those tastes that he often indulges in are not extravagant: “I’m a fan of sneakers Nike (Editor’s note: one of his sponsors). There are vintage models that are quite expensive. They are exclusive or hard to find. And that’s the kind of stuff I buy, if I like it. There are some Jordannail Low crushsome he took travis scott. I want to have a big collection, that’s my goal. I’m about 20 now.”