Despite some suggesting that Carlos Alcaraz should tone down his big talk in light of recent disappointments, the Spaniard is actually doubling down on them.
There are many schools of thought when it comes to being a superb athlete. Some suggest that athletes should shield themselves from too much pressure, at least internal, while others openly call for embracing pressure.
Alcaraz has had an interesting journey with pressure. Sometimes, he embraced it, and other times, he downplayed it. He was always pretty honest, though, and he keeps doing that, but he also keeps doubling down on the big talk.
We've heard him utter the words 'best in history' a few times already, with some suggesting that it's a bit too much. For him, toughness is only natural.
He's just speaking his mind, and he believes his word. He truly wants to be the best player in his lifetime, and he said this again ahead of the 2024 Argentina Open.
"I'm a very competitive, very ambitious guy. I always want to win everything, it is what drives me to continue training at my highest level, to continue going to the tournaments with a lot of desire to get more titles... seeing Djokovic up there, the players who are winning titles now, is something that motivates me to be able to be at the same level as them. "
Being motivated is fine, but sometimes, too much of that big talk can backfire. It might not be the case for him, though, as he keeps himself motivated through that. He wants to be among the legends of the game, and by reminding himself, he keeps his mind set on the goal.
"Speaking of the Big Three, it motivates me to get closer to them. I am a boy who dreams big, I am very ambitious and I target the best in the world and the best in history. That's what motivates me to give my 100% day to day and to go to the tournaments to be able to win them."