ABU DHABI: world number one Carlos Alcaraz is confident he will be ready to compete at his best next month australian opendespite an abdominal injury that shortened his pre-season training block.
The 19-year-old Spaniard has recovered from a muscle tear in his left abdomen which ruled him out of the ATP Davis Cup finals and finals at the end of his last campaign and only started full training a week ago.
Two defeats against Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud at Mubadala World Tennis The championship in Abu Dhabi this weekend has helped Alcaraz get back into action and he believes he has enough time to train and find his game ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2023 on January 16.
“I would say the key is to train a lot, to put in a lot of hours on the pitch. With that, you’re going to reach your best level and be ready for the season,” said the defending US champion. Open to journalists in the UAE. Capital city.
“I have a month until the Australian Open, so I have time to keep training, to try and get to my level and I would say I will be ready and 100% heading there. ‘Australia.”
The Spanish teenager, who is the youngest world No. January 10 to 12.
Alcaraz is aware that 2023 will come with new experiences for him now that he is a Grand Slam winner and at the top of the rankings.
“I have to be prepared for that, for the pressure. People, players too, are going to have all their eyes on me and I’m going to have to be prepared for that,” he explained.
But he also believes the fact that he is recovering from injury and hasn’t had much time to train could take some of the pressure off entering Australia.
“That’s probably going to help me a little bit trying not to think about people, expectations, standings and that kind of stuff,” he said on Sunday.
“I’m just going to see myself better, try to push myself to a high level. The expectations, the ranking and the tournament are outside of that.
“At the moment I’m focused on myself, on recovering my level and I would say that little by little I’m recovering.”
Meanwhile, world No. 3 Casper Ruud is also looking to back up a phenomenal season in which he reached two Grand Slam finals – in Paris and New York – and was a runner-up at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The Norwegian, who secured third place at the Abu Dhabi exhibition with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Alcaraz on Sunday, didn’t have much free time after Turin, having been on a tour South American with Rafael Nadal, but plans to have a proper training block in February after the Australian Open.
Discussing his outlook for 2023, Ruud said: “I think it will be fine no matter what. If I finish No. 1 next year, I will probably be the happiest man alive.
“I’m going to need a big year to stay where I am. I know there’s a lot to defend but in the end what number you are exactly, I don’t think it always matters that much.
“As long as you’re in the top eight or top 10, I think that’s where most players aim when they start a new year.”
Greek world number 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Rublev on Sunday to secure the title in Abu Dhabi.
The 19-year-old Spaniard has recovered from a muscle tear in his left abdomen which ruled him out of the ATP Davis Cup finals and finals at the end of his last campaign and only started full training a week ago.
Two defeats against Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud at Mubadala World Tennis The championship in Abu Dhabi this weekend has helped Alcaraz get back into action and he believes he has enough time to train and find his game ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2023 on January 16.
“I would say the key is to train a lot, to put in a lot of hours on the pitch. With that, you’re going to reach your best level and be ready for the season,” said the defending US champion. Open to journalists in the UAE. Capital city.
“I have a month until the Australian Open, so I have time to keep training, to try and get to my level and I would say I will be ready and 100% heading there. ‘Australia.”
The Spanish teenager, who is the youngest world No. January 10 to 12.
Alcaraz is aware that 2023 will come with new experiences for him now that he is a Grand Slam winner and at the top of the rankings.
“I have to be prepared for that, for the pressure. People, players too, are going to have all their eyes on me and I’m going to have to be prepared for that,” he explained.
But he also believes the fact that he is recovering from injury and hasn’t had much time to train could take some of the pressure off entering Australia.
“That’s probably going to help me a little bit trying not to think about people, expectations, standings and that kind of stuff,” he said on Sunday.
“I’m just going to see myself better, try to push myself to a high level. The expectations, the ranking and the tournament are outside of that.
“At the moment I’m focused on myself, on recovering my level and I would say that little by little I’m recovering.”
Meanwhile, world No. 3 Casper Ruud is also looking to back up a phenomenal season in which he reached two Grand Slam finals – in Paris and New York – and was a runner-up at the ATP Finals in Turin.
The Norwegian, who secured third place at the Abu Dhabi exhibition with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Alcaraz on Sunday, didn’t have much free time after Turin, having been on a tour South American with Rafael Nadal, but plans to have a proper training block in February after the Australian Open.
Discussing his outlook for 2023, Ruud said: “I think it will be fine no matter what. If I finish No. 1 next year, I will probably be the happiest man alive.
“I’m going to need a big year to stay where I am. I know there’s a lot to defend but in the end what number you are exactly, I don’t think it always matters that much.
“As long as you’re in the top eight or top 10, I think that’s where most players aim when they start a new year.”
Greek world number 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Rublev on Sunday to secure the title in Abu Dhabi.
