Carlos Alcaraz Rejects Idea Of Being 'Obsessed' With Reaching Big Three Heights
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Carlos Alcaraz is arguably one of the two most talented players on the ATP Tour right now, and even though he wants to chase greatness, he doesn't think he's obsessed with it.
Three years ago, Alcaraz emerged as an incredibly talented player, introducing himself to the broader world of tennis by winning the US Open. Since then, he has added three more Grand Slam titles, with his total currently standing at four.
That is still currently quite far away from Roger Federer's 20, even further from Rafael Nadal's 22, and Alcaraz is still a full Federer's career away from Novak Djokovic's 24 major titles.
Early on in his career, the young Spaniard wasn't afraid to make big statements. He stated that he wants to be the best in history, and always confidently talked about his future. But in recent months, Alcaraz took a step back.
It seems that his mindset changed a bit, and now, he wants to avoid some of the pressure, and he also wants to calm down some of the talks. Since he made those big statements, the pressure on him just kept rising.
Ultimately, as he would say, that pressure "killed" him, which is why the 21-year-old now tries to be much more conservative in his statements. Talking to GQ recently, Alcaraz said that he doesn't feel like he's obsessed with being the best in the world.
"I'm not obsessed with being the best in the world. I was number one a few years ago, and I was happy. Now I'm number three, and I'm equally happy. And I'm enjoying the journey, the sport, and life."
Later during the same interview, Alcaraz was again asked a question that involved a word obsession. This time, it was in connection with the Big Three of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. The four-time Grand Slam champion emphasized that he doesn't feel like he is obsessed with chasing them.
"I'm not obsessed. I've always said I'd like to be the best in history and sit at the Big Three's table, but those are big words, not an obsession. And I always say I'd like to be remembered as an inspiration to the little ones, and as someone who had fun doing what he loved most, with a smile on his face and making people enjoy themselves."
It's clear that Alcaraz now wants to have his statements under control much more. Although he still doesn't shy away from using "big words," he wants to avoid words such as obsession.
At the same time, the 21-year-old knows that the path ahead will be challenging, and he's ready for it. When asked about how long he feels like he will continue playing for, the Spaniard couldn't provide a clear answer, knowing that, ultimately, it might not be in his hands.
"I don't know, I hope it's many. Roger, Rafa, and Novak have had very long careers, keeping the flame burning and overcoming all kinds of problems, both sporting and physical. I just started my career recently, although I've achieved many important things in a short time. We'll see how far I go."
Alcaraz currently competes at the Monte-Carlo Masters, where he will start against Francisco Cerundolo in the second round of the tournament.
