Final yr, Carlos Alcaraz loved his breakthrough second on the US Open. The Spaniard captured his maiden main title and rose to No. 1 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings for the primary time.
Twelve months on and the defending champion returns to New York, chasing his third Slam title. The highest seed fired a warning to the remainder of the sector forward of his opening match towards Germany’s Dominik Koepfer.
“I really feel that I am extra mature on court docket. I really feel that I am a greater participant than I used to be a yr in the past,” Alcaraz mentioned in his pre-tournament press convention. “I acquired my first Grand Slam final yr, however I really feel like I am extra mature and I am higher.”
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Alcaraz’s 53-6 document this season backs up his assertion, with the 20-year-old clinching a Tour-leading six titles. The World No. 1 has demonstrated his capability to take care of strain in 2023, clawing previous Novak Djokovic in 5 units to win Wimbledon in July.
As defending champion, Alcaraz is able to take care of raised expectations once more.
“I attempt to do precisely the identical factor that I did final yr, making an attempt to practise the identical approach that I’ll play, and concentrate on that. I am not concentrate on the defending champion, the factors, no matter,” Alcaraz mentioned. “I am simply centered on displaying my finest degree, making an attempt to enhance in each apply, and let’s have a look at how it’s going to be within the event.”
Alcaraz is seeded to satisfy sixth seed Jannik Sinner within the quarter-finals in what can be a rematch of their epic conflict eventually yr’s occasion. The Spaniard, who can also be in the identical half of the draw as 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev, is more likely to have NBA star Jimmy Butler in assist. Alcaraz and Butler have developed an in depth friendship since they first met a yr in the past.
“I began to know him one yr in the past, to have an in depth relationship that’s fairly good,” Alcaraz mentioned. “He is a very enormous fan of tennis. He making an attempt to play. I feel it is nice for tennis to have Jimmy coming to tournaments and supporting us. It is nice. Speaking about me having him supporting me, an important athlete, NBA star, so it is for me virtually loopy to have relationship with somebody like Jimmy.”
The 20-year-old arrives in New York because the World No. 1, however is unlikely to go away the occasion on prime spot. If Djokovic, who beat Alcaraz in an epic Cincinnati closing, wins his opening match, he’ll achieve 20 factors and assure his return to No. 1 on Monday 11 September. The Serbian just isn’t defending any factors, having not performed final yr’s occasion. The Spaniard is defending 2000 factors.
Alcaraz, who didn’t win both of the ATP Masters 1000 occasions in Toronto or Cincinnati this month, is aiming to grow to be the primary man to efficiently defend their US Open title since Roger Federer in 2008.
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