Carlos Alcaraz reveals the importance of playing his best tennis when ‘in danger’ after securing Monte Carlo semifinal birth

Carlos Alcaraz is hoping to win his third Masters 1000 title on clay after earlier success at the Madrid Open in 2022 and 2023.

Carlos Alcaraz reveals the importance of playing his best tennis when ‘in danger’ after securing Monte Carlo semifinal birth

Carlos Alcaraz (Image via @alcarchive)

Carlos Alcaraz has advanced to his first Monte Carlo semifinal after a hard-fought win over Arthur Fils. The Spaniard was without a win in Monte Carlo heading into this year’s event but has collected a few notable victories to build some winning momentum.

However, Alcaraz emphasized the importance of playing his best tennis when his back is against the wall. The Spaniard believes he can perform well during big points, but he admits it comes at the cost of stress for his team and family.

Yeah… I know. I think for my health and my team’s health, it’s important to play the best points a little bit earlier. You know, probably a few times my team and my dad told me that he’s probably gonna get a heart attack sometimes (smiling). I think that real champions find the right level, you know, when it’s needed. Obviously I would love to play such a high level on my best tennis from the beginning until the last ball. But in tennis we play in two hours, two hours & a half… so it is the most difficult thing to do in tennis to maintain your best tennis during two hours & a half. So when it’s needed, it’s great to find the good tennis. But, you know, in the whole match, I would love to play a good tennis, but sometimes I’m playing against an opponent who plays better… and you have to accept it and run and fight.

Carlos Alcaraz said in the post-match interview to Monte Carlo Rolex Masters

Alcaraz is aiming to get the ideal preparation for his Roland Garros title defense, and so far, things have gone well in Monte Carlo. He has shown glimpses of his potential, including a fantastic tweener shot against Daniel Altmaier in the previous round.

Now, he hopes to carry this momentum into the semifinals. He is aiming to reach his second final of the season, following his earlier title win at the Rotterdam Open.

Carlos Alcaraz makes Masters 1000 history

Spaniard tennis star Carlos Alcaraz has now won 70 matches at the Masters 1000 level. This is the third-most wins in this category by any player before turning 22. He will celebrate his 22nd birthday on May 5.

Carlos Alcaraz Monte Carlo Masters 2025
Carlos Alcaraz (via Instagram/Carlos Alcaraz)

Only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have more wins than Alcaraz at this age. Nadal leads with 110 wins, while Djokovic has 75. Alcaraz is close behind with 70. Out of these 70 wins, 19 have come on clay courts. Fifteen of those were at the Madrid Open. He also won three matches in Monte Carlo and one in Rome.

In Monte Carlo, Alcaraz will play against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the semi-finals. Davidovich Fokina, ranked 42nd in the world, reached the final in Monte Carlo in 2022. He beat Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

Carlos Alcaraz comes closer to Alexander Zverev’s ATP ranking

World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz has made it to his first Monte Carlo Masters semi-final. It was a tough match against Arthur Fils in the quarter-finals. Alcaraz was behind in all three sets but still came back to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz
Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz (via X)

This is his best result at Monte Carlo so far. In 2022, he only reached the second round and missed the last two years due to injuries. Now, he is just two wins away from lifting the title. His next match is against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

The 21-year-old has now reached 10 Masters 1000 semi-finals before turning 22. Only a few players have done that. Rafael Nadal had 18, Novak Djokovic had 13, and Lleyton Hewitt had 12. Alcaraz won’t be able to add more before turning 22, as the next big event is after his birthday.

In the ATP Live Rankings, Alcaraz has moved closer to the No. 2 spot. He now has 7,120 points. Alexander Zverev is just ahead with 7,595. If Alcaraz wins his next match, he’ll gain 250 points. Winning the title could take him to 7,720 points and back to world No. 2.