Carlos Alcaraz Reveals Reasons for his Success on Clay: “You Have More Time to Think”

Carlos Alcaraz currently holds a 14-match winning streak on clay.

Carlos Alcaraz Reveals Reasons for his Success on Clay: “You Have More Time to Think”

Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/CARLOS ALCARAZ NEWS)

In Short
  • Carlos Alcaraz has an 82 percent winning rate on clay, outperforming rival Jannik Sinner.
  • He has won 11 clay titles since turning professional in 2019, including multiple Barcelona Opens and two French Opens.
  • Alcaraz emphasizes that the slower clay surface allows players more time to think and set up points effectively.

Carlos Alcaraz has been the best clay-court player since last season. He has lost just one match on the surface over the past 12 months and has maintained that form at the ongoing Monte Carlo Masters. The Spaniard has now opened up on why he has enjoyed success on the red dirt after his clay opener.

Alcaraz currently holds an 82 percent winning rate on clay, better than his arch-rival Jannik Sinner, who has just 71 percent. The 22-year-old won the Monte Carlo Masters last year, beating Lorenzo Musetti in three sets. At the Barcelona Open, he reached the final before losing to Holger Rune in straight sets.

He bounced back strongly at the Italian Open, where he crushed Sinner in straight sets in the final. Alcaraz then went on to beat Sinner in the final of the French Open, despite being down two sets in the tie. The World No.1 currently holds a 14-match winning streak on clay, and he’s bound to extend it.

He opened his clay-court campaign at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday (April 7) with a remarkable performance. The Spaniard defeated Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-3 in just an hour and nine minutes at the Monte Carlo Country Club. He will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the round of 16 on Thursday (April 9).

Alcaraz is the favorite to win the Monte Carlo Masters despite Sinner’s challenge. Sinner has not won a clay title since 2022 in Umag; however, he has reached several finals since then. During Alcaraz’s press conference in Monte Carlo, he explained that he plays better on clay because the surface is slower than the hard court:

Yes, it’s been almost a year since the last match I played on clay. Against Báez, I played at a really high level, and as I said, I was surprised a bit because I hit the ball very well. On clay, you have more time to think, more time to set up the point, to set up the winner. We might see on clay that almost all players, or many players, change the way they return, play a bit deeper, have more time for the ball to reach you in some way.

Alcaraz has won 11 clay titles on tour since turning professional in 2019. The World No.1 has won the Barcelona Open on multiple occasions and has lifted the French Open twice in his illustrious career. He will be eager to win the French Open this year again, extending his Grand Slam tally.

Carlos Alcaraz on his preparations for the Monte Carlo Masters

Carlos Alcaraz had one of the worst Sunshine Double campaigns last month. The US Open champion was heading into North American events in excellent form, having claimed a Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open. But at Indian Wells, he shockingly lost to Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K)

In the third round of the Miami Open, the Spaniard collapsed to Sebastian Korda, ending his run at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. He flew back to his hometown in Murcia after the loss and took less than a week’s rest before training for the clay season. In the aforementioned press conference, he revealed that he got better physically with rest and exercise before arriving in Monte Carlo:

I only had about 5 or 6 days of rest. I didn’t do anything, just stayed a couple of days in Miami because I couldn’t return the following days. I stayed there for a few days, and then a couple more days at home, and then I tried to do some exercise again to be in good shape for the clay, as the points are tougher, so you have to be even better physically.

Alcaraz needs to win the Monte Carlo Masters, as a loss at the tournament may jeopardize his stay at the top of the ATP rankings. Although Alcaraz has revealed that he’s not afraid of losing the position to Sinner, there’s a likelihood that if he does drop to No.2, the battle to reclaim the No.1 will go on until the end of the season.

Also Read: Valentin Vacherot Makes Stunning Claim About Preferring to Win Monte Carlo Over a Grand Slam