Carlos Alcaraz makes his debut at the Argentina Open: training, barbecue and lots of Boca in the preview of the match against Ugo Carabelli

Carlos Alcaraz He was in Buenos Aires in 2023 and brought with him great memories. Because after the doubts of his debut in Argentina Open against the Serbian Laslo Djere he found that overwhelming rhythm to which he is accustomed and won the seventh title of his career, but also because he met a city that allowed him Clear your mind of tennis with activities outside your routine of matches, training sessions, work with the physiotherapist, press conferences and other matters.

Among those activities was football, one of his great passions and that of most Argentines. The current Wimbledon champion, renowned fan of the Real Madrid, received an invitation to visit the candy box and accepted it with pleasure. First he was at the stadium without an audience and this Wednesday surprised by appearing in a box to encourage Boca against Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero and watch Xeneize’s second League Cup victory live. And he was seen singing fans’ songs.

“Last year I came because I didn’t have any matches, I hadn’t competed in a while and I needed to play. I loved the tournament, the people are wonderful and what I experienced was incredible for me. “I wanted to come back this year because the vibes and energy you experience in Buenos Aires are very special,” explained the Spaniard in his first contact with the media after stepping on the Lawn tennis in Buenos Aires.

After playing for the last time officially on January 24, when he lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open to Alexander Zverev, and then traveling to Spain for work commitments, Alcaraz landed in Argentina on Saturday and a van took him to a hotel. Sheraton Pick up to stay in the same room you stay in Luis Miguel when he has shows scheduled in town.

He arrived with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, his father, his older brother and Evaristo Sanguinetti, the same bodyguard who accompanied him last year and who, for example, was the guardian of the Rolling Stones during their stay in Argentina. His physical trainer also joined the trip. Alberto Lledo and a physiotherapist.

Carlitos will not return to Europe until he concludes his participation in the Miami Masters 1000 in late March, as he will compete in the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro next week and then play “The Netflix Slam”, a performance with Rafael Nadal in Las Vegas, before playing in Indian Wells and Miami.

What time does Carlos Alcaraz play at the Argentine Open?

After a necessary rest, and when he still didn’t know that Camilo Ugo Carabelli would be his first rival in the ATP Buenos Aires, he started preparing for his debut. On Sunday afternoon he had his first training session in one of the Lawn Tennis auxiliary courts and on Monday he trained for an hour and a half with the English team Cameron Norriehis “victim” in last year’s final.

That same day was the 44th birthday of Ferrero, coach of Alcaraz and champion in Buenos Aires in 2010. And the team certainly didn’t lack the desire to celebrate. They went out for a sushi dinner, although only on Tuesday they were able to taste the Argentine culinary delights that the world number two did not want to miss. They visited “Don Julio”, a renowned barbecue place located in Palermo. The roast couldn’t be missing.

Now the youngest number one in history is expected to think about tennis and nothing else but tennis. This Thursday He will debut against Camilo Ugo Carabelli starting at 6.30pm. his first step in trying to defend the title and get his first trophy of the season. He will go to the Guillermo Vilas stadium knowing his rival in a hypothetical quarter-final: Andrea Vavassori or Laslo Djere (played at 1.30pm). But that will be another story.