Alcaraz: “Winning Indian Wells and returning to number one is a good goal”

MADRID, 10 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged that he has the “good objective” since this Friday to “win Indian Wells and return to number one in the world”, although he pointed out that he does not see himself as a “favorite” to succeed in the first Masters 1,000 of the season .

“I feel really good right now. I took a few days off and it was really good for me. Right now I’m ready,” he said from the Californian tournament where he reappears after the hamstring injury in the Rio final de Janeiro.

The Murcian was absent in Acapulco but returns recovered and eager to continue the good dynamics of 2023 that began with the title in Buenos Aires. Alcaraz debuts this Friday against Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in search of his third Masters 1,000 and number one against an absent Novak Djokovic for not being vaccinated against covid.

“It’s a really good goal for me. Of course, playing a Masters 1,000 is always difficult and I really want to have a good result here. I also love this tournament. For me, winning the tournament and being number one again is a very good goal and I really want to do it,” he said.

The man from El Palmar, number two in the world, reached the top of the ATP ranking in September last year with his title at the US Open and remains in that fight although he does not see himself as a favorite in Indian Wells. “On hard court I think I’m a very good tennis player, so I’m going to try,” he said.

“I don’t consider myself a favorite to win the tournament because I haven’t played on a hard court for a long time. Of course, there are many great players who have a chance to win. I would say that I have my chances to win the tournament and I’m going to try to take advantage of them,” he concluded. .