Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S Carlos Alcaraz begins his defence of the French Open title on Sunday morning against Japan’s Kei Nishikori.
It’s the second Grand Slam event of the year and the provisional start time for the match at Roland Garros in Paris is 11am.
The 22-year-old from El Palmar in Murcia is excellent form- winning on the clay surfaces of Monte Carlo and Rome.
- Spain’s tennis star Carlos Alcaraz lives in a ‘small prefab bungalow’ outside historic Alicante city
He also reached the final of the ATP event in Barcelona.
Carlos Alcaraz said: “The confidence is really high right now as I’ve been playing great matches.”
“I’ve got great wins in this clay season. I’m excited.”
The young Spaniard’s excellent form has come at the same time as a three-part documentary series called My Way made its debut on Netflix last month.
It has been hailed as a very honest portrayal of his career so far which did not hide some of his mental struggles.
There were comments from him and from his team about the need for commitment coupled with some kind of a work-life balance.
Alcaraz made his feelings known about that balance and that it helped him to play better tennis and to enjoy it more.
Speaking in Paris, Alcaraz said: “I’ve worked very hard to get here. It takes talent, of course, but without hard work it doesn’t make sense.”
“For years I have worked and sacrificed many things. When I was younger to achieve my goal and to achieve my dreams to become a professional player.”
As for the French Open, Alcaraz said: “It occupies a very special place for me as I have watched many Spanish tennis players play there, including Rafa Nadal.”
“I remember that, as a child, I would run back from school to turn on the television and all I wanted was to spend the afternoon watching the games.”
