Alcaraz, out but not down: “I need to focus on Cincinnati”

He keeps emphasing it: Carlos Alcaraz plays every tournament to win. After Wimbledon and Queen’s, where he took the trophies, the Spaniard won’t be able to do the same in Toronto. The world No 1 lost in the quarter-finals to Tommy Paul (6-3, 4-6, 6-3), the same opponent who took him out last year – and this time round, the American also ended his 13-match winning streak.

Is Paul now Alcaraz’s new bête noire? In a press conference, the loser confirmed that he was having trouble with this opponent.

“He’s certainly a complete player. You know, the matches that we have played has been really tough ones, you know, last year in Miami and this one. He’s a really solid player. Has great talent, great shots. You know, he’s really, really fast as well. So he’s one of the best players in the world right now. There’s no doubt about it.

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“So he’s really tough on every surface. I mean, he’s a mix of everything. It makes him really, really tough.”

Five days after his Wimbledon triumph, the 20-year-old made a detour to the clay-court Hopman Cup in Nice before a week’s rest. He refused to make excuses about his preparation: “I had a lot of days, you know, to prepare this tournament on hard court. I practise well. So I don’t think Hopman Cup has something bad, you know, about this tournament.”

Cincinnati next – then US Open

This setback, disappointing but far from worrying for Alcaraz, should serve him well in his preparations for Cincinnati, which kicks off next week (August 13-20). With six double-faults to his name after this quarter-final, he is undoubtedly aware of where his areas for improvement lie.

“I realise that I didn’t play well, you know, these matches,” he admitted.

“So all I can do now is practise to be better. You know, I have some weeks before US Open. But now I have to be focused on Cincinnati. It’s a Masters 1000. It’s a big tournament as well.

“So I have to talk with my team. I have to fly to Cincinnati, prepare well [for] Cincinnati.

“But, obviously, I take a lot of lessons from this tournament, coming to the next ones.”

The 20-year-old will face John Isner or a qualifier in his Cincinnati opener. Last year, he lost in the quarter-finals to Cameron Norrie.

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