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Alcaraz Takes Aggressive Play as Compliment Ahead of Miami Open Bid

World number one Carlos Alcaraz has stated he takes it as a compliment when opponents try to play a more aggressive brand of tennis to beat him. He described his on-court focus as being like a game of chess, aiming to anticipate his opponent's next move. Alcaraz will begin his Miami Open campaign against the young, attacking Brazilian Joao Fonseca. The Spaniard is a former champion at the event, having won his first ATP Masters 1000 title there in 2022.

Key Points: Alcaraz on Miami Open Bid: Takes Aggressive Play as Compliment

  • Alcaraz views aggressive tactics as a compliment
  • Focuses on anticipating moves like chess
  • Aims to bounce back from 2023 early exit
  • Faces young gun Joao Fonseca in first round
2 min read

"Just trying to take it as a compliment when players....": Alcaraz ahead of Miami Open title bid

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz says opponents playing more aggressively to beat him is a "compliment" as he prepares for his Miami Open title campaign.

"I think I am just trying to take it as a compliment when players try to play their best, more aggressively if they want to beat me. - Carlos Alcaraz"

Miami, March 20

Ahead of his Miami Open title bid, the world number one tennis superstar, Carlos Alcaraz, said that the players trying to play a more aggressive brand of tennis to beat him feels like a "compliment" to him.

Sinner, who secured his sixth Grand Slam title by winning his first-ever Australian Open earlier this year, will be aiming to bounce back from his loss in the Indian Wells semifinals will be starting his Miami Open campaign with a clash against Joao Fonseca, the 19-year-old who pushed the eventual champion Jannik Sinner to two tie-breaks at the Indian Wells.

The 19-year-old Fonseca will be aiming to bring his fearless, attacking style against the world number one in their first head-to-head meeting, which will undoubtedly be a fire versus fire clash given the high intensity, aggressive and flashy playing styles of both players.

"I think I am just trying to take it as a compliment when players try to play their best, more aggressively if they want to beat me," Alcaraz said in a pre-tournament interview in Miami as quoted by the ATP official website.

"I think it is a great thing to know, and obviously, I am just really happy that they are taking us [as] players to try to beat, and we are trying to make them improve as a player as well. So for me, that is great."

"But sometimes when I step on the court and see the opponent playing that level, it is not that funny," he concluded.

Alcaraz said that his focus is on being "one step forward" and "trying to see what their opponent's next move is going to be before they make it".

"It is like chess in a way. I am trying to be there a little bit earlier or trying to think what is going to happen next. Then I can think about my move. I am trying that or just trying to be more aggressive than them or trying not to let them be in a good spot all the time," he concluded his point.

Alcaraz clinched his first ATP Masters title at Miami way back in 2022 and has a solid win-loss record of 13-4 at the event. During the last year's edition, he faced a first round exit after shock loss to David Goffin.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Love his confidence! But the real test will be against Sinner. That's the rivalry that's going to define this era. Hope we get to see that match here.
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Vikram M
Respectfully, I think he's getting a bit ahead of himself. He lost early last year, and the field is tough. Fonseca is a young gun with nothing to lose. Alcaraz needs to focus on his own game first.
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Priya S
His game is so entertaining to watch! The aggression, the drop shots, the smile. It's like watching a magician on court. Hope he goes all the way this time. #Vamos
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Rohit P
"It is not that funny" haha! That's the most honest part. It's easy to talk about pressure in interviews, but facing a player having the match of his life is a nightmare. Good luck to him!
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Michael C
The mental aspect is 70% of the game at this level. His ability to reframe the challenge is a superpower. The next gen is not just about power, it's about brains too.

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