Although the stars of the ATP tour appear to relish the time they spend on court, there are moments when competing and pushing forward can be difficult, admits Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz.
The former World No.1 suffered a shocking opening round loss to Belgian veteran David Goffin at last week's Miami Open. Alcaraz did win his first title of the 2025 ATP season at the Rotterdam Open in February, but has failed to reach another final since, losing in matches where he was the undeniable favorite.
In an interview with French fashion brand Louis Vuitton, the reigning Wimbledon champion revealed life as a professional athlete was not all glitz and glamour. Alcaraz opened up on his mindset after losing tough matches, stating his mood was often dictated by how well or badly he played during the match.
"Of course, there are times when I don't enjoy myself on the court because it's difficult to handle the pressure, but I tell myself that I'm living the dream I had as a child," said the four-time Grand Slam champion. "I've always wanted to be part of the history of this sport. There are matches where I lose and I leave proud of what I did, while others take a few days to absorb because the frustration of defeat is so strong. What is certain is that you learn more from defeats than from victories."
Alcaraz is slated to compete at next week's Monte-Carlo Masters ATP 1000 event, where he has a first-round bye as the second seed.