Carlos Alcaraz on taking lessons after defeat to Tommy Paul in Canadian Open: I didn’t play well

Carlos Alcaraz confessed that his game needs an uplift in confidence after the unexpected loss to American player Tommy Paul during the Canadian Open quarter-finals on Friday. The world’s top-ranked tennis player is now keen to rectify any issues that need addressing during next week’s Cincinnati matches.

Alcaraz, who had a victorious run at Wimbledon, encountered his third consecutive sluggish start in the Toronto matches, resulting in a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 defeat. This was his first loss since the semi-finals at the French Open in June, posing a setback to his practice routine leading up to the U.S. Open.

“I realise that I didn’t play well, these matches. All I can do now is practice to be better. I have some weeks before the U.S. Open. But now I have to be focussed on Cincinnati. It’s a Masters 1000. It’s a big tournament as well. Obviously, I take a lot of lessons from this tournament,” Alcaraz was quoted as saying.

“I think I did well some things, but probably everything can be better. I always say you can be better in everything even if you’ve played your best matches in your career. But right now, I have to improve a lot of things, getting more confidence in my game,” he stated.

Alcaraz might once more face Paul in Cincinnati’s third round after his current record against him stands at a disappointing 1-2. The 20-year-old wunderkind is undoubtedly mindful of the challenge that his American counterpart brings to the court during this final preparatory tournament ahead of the much-anticipated U.S. Open slated to take place from August 28 to September 10.

“He’s certainly a complete player. The matches that we’ve played have been really tough ones – last year in Miami and this one. He’s a really solid player. Has great talent, great shots. He’s really fast as well. So he’s one of the best players in the world right now. There’s no doubt about it. He’s really tough on every surface. He’s a mix of everything. It makes him really tough,” Alcaraz added.