Let other players downplay their championship chances at Wimbledon. Let other players profess — feign? — humility. Let other players express caution in Week 1 that it’s still way too early to be talking about the possibility of reaching the final at the end of the fortnight.
Carlos Alcaraz is not interested in any of that. He is No. 1 in the ATP rankings and No. 1 in the seedings at the All England Club and embraces that status. Every bit of it.
So on Saturday, after reaching the fourth round at the All England Club with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5 victory over No. 25 Nicolas Jarry at Centre Court, when he was asked whether it comes as something of a shock to him to already be one of the faces of the grand slam tournament, and already one of its favourites, at the ripe old age of 20, Alcaraz shrugged.
“Well, I’m not surprised, honestly, ‘cause I know my skills. I know what I’m capable of,” Alcaraz said, wearing the white bucket hat that’s become his signature news conference accessory. ”(It’s) something that I work really hard (for): to be in that position, to be what I am right now.”
He then briefly, but ever so briefly, trotted out the types of things athletes are often trained to think they’re “supposed” to tell the media — about how he’s “really focused on the next round” ... and how the next player he’d meet produces “great tennis on grass” ... and how that’ll “be really tough” ... and blah, blah, blah — before course-correcting and returning to a more frank glimpse into his mindset.
“But obviously,” said Alcaraz, who will face 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini for a quarter-final berth, “my dream is to play a final here.”
Soon enough, the reigning US Open champion was back on a roll, discussing how he feels “really comfortable” in the grass-court event’s main stadium ... how he has “a lot of confidence right now” ... how his style doesn’t “change too much,” no matter what the surface is ... how his flexibility and explosiveness are the two qualities of his game he’s proudest of.
None of it sounded unduly arrogant. Especially when taking into account what other players say about Alcaraz.
“He’s showing who he is,” said Berrettini.
