Carlos Alcaraz to CNN: ‘I’m playing unbelievable tennis’
Carlos Alcaraz has been playing better and better lately. After a run of indifferent results early on, Alcaraz won four straight before making the semifinals of the China Open, then followed it up with a six-code victory at the Dubai International that served as a springboard for a run of five victories in a row. That streak included a victory in Miami over Roger Federer and the second-round win over world No. 1 Murray in Indian Wells and a win over Tommy Robredo of Spain in Acapulco.
Now, the 20-year-old, who is ranked No. 2 in the world, has reached the ATP Finals for the second time. This time around, though, Alcaraz is playing with a new partner – a 22-year-old Colombian named Juan Martin del Potro, who is ranked No. 3 in the world.
“This is going to be amazing, for sure,” Alcaraz said when asked what it would mean to him to finish his first-weekend in Madrid with a victory against Del Potro. “I always dreamed of playing in the major finals, and now here it is.”
Alcaraz has had a roller coaster of a season. He won one of his first two events in Miami with a wildcard, then lost to Stan Wawrinka in the second round at the US Open. Yet, his confidence soared when he beat Wawrinka in the semifinals of their only other meeting, a four-setter in Cincinnati.
“From that first week to now, I’ve been playing so well,” Alcaraz said. “I think I’ve been playing a little bit better than the week before. I’ve got to enjoy this one and I have a lot of fun today. Hopefully, I can continue playing like this and continue to improve, because I want to be one of the best players in the world, period.”
This weekend may be more difficult than the last. In the three-day tournament that precedes the final, no one is expected to have his best tennis. In fact, most of the players are
