Carlos Alcaraz hits back at critics before Barcelona Open
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Spain's Carlos Alcaraz posing with the trophy after beating Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte-Carlo Masters final on April 13.
PHOTO: AFP
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BARCELONA – World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz took aim at his critics on April 14 after winning the Monte Carlo Masters last weekend.
The 21-year-old is gearing up for his French Open title defence in May but has struggled for consistency at times in 2025, including suffering an early exit at the Miami Open in March.
The four-time Grand Slam winner continues his clay-court preparation this week at the Barcelona Open, where he is aiming for a third triumph.
“It is true that perhaps there have been results that have not been enough for some people, even for myself,” Alcaraz told reporters in the Catalan capital.
“I’ve reached a point where no defeat is just nothing but (instead) it is a learning process, and we have to move forward. It is easy and free to talk when someone has an expectation that is not met. It is very easy to talk, that is what I can say.”
Alcaraz, who had to come from a set down to beat Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte Carlo final, admits he is not at his best and is looking to improve his form.
“I can say that in Monte Carlo I gained a lot of confidence,” Alcaraz told reporters ahead of his round-of-32 match against American Ethan Quinn on April 15 when the top seed triumphed 6-2, 7-6 (8-6).
“I honestly didn’t expect to win that title, instead just to pick up rhythm, play matches, add more hours on the clay. I don’t think that I am at my best level. I think I’ve played at a better level this year,” he continued.
“I have played better matches than those in Monte Carlo. It is one thing to win, another to really feel you played well. The truth is I think I’m having a good year. Maybe the last month has been a bit worse, but I think having a good year.”
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in action during his final match against Lorenzo Musetti of Italy at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters on April 13.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Alcaraz’s idol Rafael Nadal is the player who has the most Barcelona Open titles with 12.
The Spanish superstar retired from tennis at the Davis Cup in November 2024, but Alcaraz said the sport still has a bright future.
“I think tennis is in a very good moment right now, in the sense that there are many young players capable of winning big titles and fighting for great things,” he added.
“There’s a very wide range of players who can do great things.
“We young players are showing strength that we can fight for great things, and that’s great for the world of tennis.”
At the Barcelona Open on April 15, defending champion and No. 2 seed Casper Ruud of Norway sailed into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Colombia’s Daniel Elahi Galan.
France’s seventh-seeded Arthur Fils beat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, while 2024 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek third seed, crushed giant American Reilly Opelka 6-2, 6-2.
In overnight action, world No. 8 Andrey Rublev of Russia progressed to the last 16 in Barcelona with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Dutchman Jesper de Jong on April 14.
Earlier, Holger Rune dispatched retiring Spanish veteran Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-5, 6-4.
The Danish player, ranked 13th, pulled out of Monte Carlo last week with food poisoning but came back strongly in Barcelona, hitting 28 winners.
“I was very pumped to get a good start after a tough week in Monaco. I’m happy to be feeling healthy, that’s an amazing feeling first of all, I’m not struggling with anything,” said Rune.
Meanwhile, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev got his clay-court season back on track with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the first round of the ATP event in Munich on April 14.
The German lost his opener at last week’s Monte Carlo Masters to Italian Matteo Berrettini, missing the chance to bump Jannik Sinner from the world No. 1 position.
Instead, that defeat and Alcaraz’s victory in the final saw Zverev dropping down a place in the rankings and dented his preparations for the French Open.
Zverev, 27, has played six tournaments since losing the Australian Open final in three sets to Sinner in January, but has not made it past the quarter-finals at any.
“I’m very happy with the match,” Zverev told Sky Germany. “I want to play my best tennis again – and this was a very good step in the right direction.” AFP
