Carlos Alcaraz didn't enjoy tennis for a while, but he found the joy again during the Sunshine Double this year.
The last six months have been tough for the 20-year-old Spaniard, as there weren't many reasons to be really happy. His results were mostly below his level, outside of a few good wins and the US Open run to the semi-final.
Things didn't change for the better at the start of 2024, as the Australian Open experience ended in a big disappointment. Even the Golden Swing didn't go that well for him.
He lost early in Argentina, after which he injured himself in Brazil. Luckily, the injury wasn't too bad, so he was able to compete at the Indian Wells Open, and it was a really important stretch for him.
He rediscovered his form there, going all the way and downing Daniil Medvedev in the final to win his first trophy in over six months. He then followed that up with a solid outing in Miami that was cut short by a sensational performance from Grigor Dimitrov, but he was happy with how it went.
He returned to Europe in a much better mood than before, and that's important because being happy on the court is at the center of what he does. He talked about his experience with Eurosport, admitting that the joy is back, and so is the smile ahead of the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters.
"I learned a lot from the tournaments that I have played since the season began. I’m glad to find my tennis again in the last two tournaments."
"All my life, I’ve played on clay courts so I know better how to play on the surface. [In] the last two tournaments, I recovered my joy and my game and I’m glad to be able to show that level on clay again."
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