Alcaraz not thinking about GOAT Race: "Just trying to write my own history"

| by Kadir Macar

Carlos Alcaraz is writing history as we speak and that is what occupies most of his thoughts, unlike the rest of the tennis world which is mostly captivated by the GOAT Race.

Not all are captivated by the GOAT race but many are still talking about Djokovic and Nadal non-stop which is understandable, especially with them being tied at 22 a piece and with Roland Garros being the next one. After all, they played against each other for three years straight so it makes sense.

However, there is one factor that could 'mess it all up' even if he's not really looking to do so. Alcaraz is very focused on writing his own story, and make history just like his idols did but he could mess up other people's plans in the process.

I want to beat Nadal and Djokovic, but I am not here to take any Grand Slams away from them or prevent either of them from being the best of all time. I am just trying to write my own history. I want to win Slams. I am ambitious and my goals are big, I'm not going to lie. My dream is to be one of the best in history, to try to get somehow close to them.

Alcaraz Feels 'No Pressure' Ahead of the Miami Open Title Defence
Alcaraz Feels 'No Pressure' Ahead of the Miami Open Title Defence

The ambition was never a problem for Alcaraz whom Rennae Stubbs compared to Nadal in the way he displays joy when playing tennis competitively and she's right. For the most part, the Spaniard enjoys his time on the court and you can sense the passion and drive.

In an exclusive column for Eurosport Player's voice, Alcaraz listed some of his goals for this year noting how he's looking to win a grand slam this year and some other big events.

When thinking about a goal for this year, I have to win a Grand Slam... or at least try to win another Grand Slam and more Masters 1000 events. Those are big goals for me. Staying at world No. 1, you get there by winning majors and Masters 1000s, it is no secret. I will try to do my best in these kinds of tournaments.

The Miami Open is unfamiliar territory for Alcaraz because he never defended a huge trophy before. The biggest one was the Rio Open earlier this year and he made it to the final but lost it due to an injury. An ATP 1000 is something different though.

In Miami, I’m going to have to start defending a lot of points. I think about that subconsciously because you want to be at the top of the rankings. But together with my team, we have always said that the important thing is the race to the Nitto ATP Finals. If you have a good year in the race, you will finish high in the rankings. I don't worry too much about defending points, I just think about enjoying the tournament I am playing, and trying to do the best I can.

Defending Champion Swiatek Withdraws From Miami Open
Defending Champion Swiatek Withdraws From Miami Open

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