Alycia Parks Reveals How She Overcame 2-Month Slump

| by Zachary Wimer

Alycia Parks revealed the secret to her comeback at the 2023 Madrid Open after a two-month slide in her career.

The Caja Magica in Madrid has proven to be the ideal setting for 22-year-old American Alycia Parks to break free from her two-month main-draw losing streak. In her debut appearance at the Madrid Open, she made a triumphant comeback by defeating 2011 champion and former No.1 Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 7-5(5), securing her spot in the third round of a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time.

Following a remarkable end to the 2022 season, Parks seemed unstoppable, with 10 consecutive victories that earned her back-to-back WTA 125K titles in December and a Top 100 debut. She started the new season with her first WTA Tour title, taking down No.5 Caroline Garcia in the Lyon final. However, success soon gave way to an unexpected series of losses.

In a candid conversation with WTA Insider, Parks attributed her slump to a combination of heightened expectations and losing sight of her winning strategy. She sought guidance from her father, who pointed out that she had strayed from her routine. Armed with this knowledge, Parks returned to her roots, refocusing on what had brought her success in the first place.

"I think it was a little bit of expectations and a lot of little stuff thrown at me. So I had to go back to how I was winning these matches. I had to literally sit down with my dad and be like 'What's happening? Why is this happening?'"

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A crucial aspect of Parks' tennis journey has been the support of her family. They serve as her personal team. The American admitted that she faltered when she allowed external influences to steer her off course. By reuniting with her father, Michael, she rediscovered her focus and positivity.

"He said, 'You changed your routine.' So I had to go back to that. I'm back on track now. My family is my own team. I think that's kind of when I got off track, allowing other people in my tennis to kind of direct me off track."

Parks maintains a unique perspective on her opponents, refusing to be swayed by rankings or past achievements. She approaches each match with a level-headed mindset, treating every competitor equally, whether they are ranked 1st or 1000th.

"Every opponent, I just look at them all the same. I don't think about their ranking or what they achieved. I just go out there and play them as if I was playing someone 1000 in the world or someone with no ranking. I just don't see the number."

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