Not setting foot on court docket to coach on a relaxation day at a Grand Slam might sound unwise, nevertheless it is likely one of the routines that works finest for Carlos Alcaraz, and one of many keys to a lot of his triumphs.
The Spaniard will play on Wednesday within the quarter-finals of the US Open towards Alexander Zverev with out having practised on Tuesday. He used the identical routine earlier than enjoying his fourth-round conflict with Matteo Arnaldi, and it’s one he has employed at many occasions all through his profession.
“There are days once I dedicate my time to health and never tennis,” defined the Spaniard, who has a 15-1 file within the season’s ultimate Grand Slam, the place he’s defending the title he claimed in 2022, his first main and the important thing that opened the door for him to develop into the youngest No. 1 ever within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. “There are plenty of days once I choose to work on load coaching and health, quite than practise tennis.”
Not practising on a relaxation day at a match will not be one thing Alcaraz is making an attempt for the primary time at this US Open, removed from it. Final yr, at Flushing Meadows, the Spaniard selected to not decide up his racquet the day between matches. It was a roadmap that allowed him to return by way of the calls for of three consecutive five-set matches unscathed; the fourth spherical towards Marin Cilic, the quarter-finals towards Jannik Sinner and the semi-finals towards Frances Tiafoe. This yr, at Roland Garros, he didn’t practise a single time between matches, nor did he at Wimbledon as the ultimate rounds approached (earlier than his semi-final and ultimate).
“Mentally, getting uninterested in successful, of travelling to play tennis, I’m not nervous about that as a result of I do know it gained’t occur to me. What actually worries me, so to talk, or what could be a priority for me sooner or later, is accidents,” defined Alcaraz, all too conscious of what he has to do to remain match within the face of the calls for of enjoying on the very prime of the sport.
“I haven’t been coaching on the times I haven’t performed and it’s labored nicely,” he mentioned a couple of months again in Paris, throughout Roland Garros. “I’m doing issues very nicely and I really feel good. Mentally, I’m contemporary. Why change issues if it’s working?”
It’s actually uncommon; most gamers will practise tirelessly on their days off in a bid to fine-tune their video games and never lose their contact. However Alcaraz has confirmed that it’s doable to aspire to the whole lot by taking a time off when he has no matches, as a result of generally resting can be coaching. That is the message drilled into him by Juan Carlos Ferrero, his coach, and Juanjo Moreno, his physio and the person accountable for taking care of Alcaraz’s physique.
Not practising at Flushing Meadows doesn’t imply having a free day, after all. In addition to working within the fitness center at his lodge, and receiving remedy on the restoration stretcher, Alcaraz takes the chance to spend time together with his household and staff in New York. For instance, on Sunday he took the prospect to wander the streets of Brooklyn, whereas on different days he has visited Central Park to have some contact with nature and get away from the hubbub of Manhattan.
Alcaraz wanted eight hours and 36 minutes of tennis to succeed in the quarter-finals of the US Open, dropping only one set alongside the way in which to Daniel Evans. He trails Zverev, his subsequent opponent, 2-3 of their Lexus ATP Head2Head.
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