"I couldn't hang out with my friends as much as I wanted" - Alcaraz on making sacrifices for tennis
ATP
Carlos Alcaraz might be an electric tennis player who everyone enjoys watching, but to get there, he had to make plenty of sacrifices that people might not be able to see.
The Spanish player enjoyed a breakthrough year this year. He won the Miami Open, he triumphed at the Madrid Open, and he also lifted the US Open trophy, thanks to which he became the youngest ATP World No. 1 player ever.
Although it's been a dream-come-true season for the teenager, it also proved to him that it was worth making all the sacrifices that he made throughout his life.
Alcaraz spoke about that at the 2022 Paris Masters, admitting that when growing up, he couldn't spend as much time with his friends because he had to practice.
"Well, I could say I couldn't hang out with my friends as much as I wanted. You know, sometimes your friends tell me to go out, I mean, so late or I had to."
Of course, Alcaraz didn't have to sacrifice his whole life. He still got to enjoy some time with the people he likes, but his life also wasn't the same as that of his peers who could enjoy going out daily.
"I had the luck to didn't sacrifice some things at all. You know, I enjoy my time with my friends, but, I mean, I had to train really hard, I mean, with my team, my people, you know. But I would say I didn't sacrifice some things at all."
Alcaraz got to play in front of his parents at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in the French capital. It was a special moment for the young Spaniard, as he admitted.
"It’s such a pleasure. It’s tough to bring them to tournaments, and to have them in the box during the week is so special. Of course, taking the trophy for No. 1 in front of them was so special for me."
