Alcaraz revelling in Indian Wells conditions: “I like playing with a bit of wind”
The Spaniard is chasing a third straight BNP Paribas Open title
Tristan Lapierre/Tennis Majors
Everyone likes playing in Indian Wells, but most of the players do so because of the (usually lovely) sunshine and warmth as they escape the European winter.
This year’s conditions for the BNP Paribas Open have been a little hit and miss – temperatures will be only around 15 degrees Celsius on Thursday – but to really excel in the desert, it helps if you don’t mind the other regular feature; wind.
Few players actually like playing in the wind but some deal with it better than others. Rafael Nadal often played well there, and won one year in a sandstorm (beating Andy Murray), and Carlos Alcaraz, like Nadal, is able to use his great footwork to cope better than most.
The Spaniard has won the title in each of the past two years and is well on course to make it three in a row and admitted that conditions in Indian Wells suit him nicely.
“Every time that I playing here in this court, I just feel great the conditions here, the court, the balls,” he told reporters. “I think every day is a little bit of wind which I like playing with. So I think everything suits pretty well to my game, to my style.”
Speed of courts perfect for Alcaraz
Much was made of the change to the court provider this year but it seems like the conditions have been just as slow as ever, right up Alcaraz’s street, the reigning champion happy to create his own power.
“I have time to reach the ball when I’m defending,” he said. “I have time to make good positions to attack during the points.
“If I have to compare this court, this stadium to the one I feel really well or the one I feel like unbeatable, I don’t know, probably in Spain — Barcelona, Madrid — which I love playing there, as well. But I don’t know. I just love here.”
Alcaraz plays Francisco Cerundolo in the quarter-finals in Indian Wells.
