Carlos Alcaraz addresses ‘talk’ about his indoor performances as he makes ‘superstitious’ revelation

Ewan West 09 Feb 2025 9:28 AM

Carlos Alcaraz in action

Carlos Alcaraz has revealed he is aware there has been “a lot of talk” about his performances on indoor courts after reaching the final of the Rotterdam Open.

The four-time Grand Slam champion overcame world No 21 Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 in a thrilling semi-final in Rotterdam to progress to his maiden final at an indoor tournament.

Alcaraz will face world No 8 Alex de Minaur, against whom he holds a 2-0 record, in the championship match at the ATP 500 event.

Prior to defeating Hurkacz, Alcaraz earned victories against Botic van de Zandschulp, Andrea Vavassori and Pedro Martinez.

The 21-year-old has worn a nasal strip during all his matches as he has been suffering from the effects of a cold he picked up prior to the event.

Alcaraz divulged that he has continued to wear the strip out of superstition despite feeling “much better” than he did at the start of the week.

“I took a few days off. I spent a few days at home – different weather; it was tough. I caught a cold,” the Spaniard said after his win over Hurkacz.

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“So I was struggling a little bit at home. I could practise just two days. And then I had to rest to see if the cold gets better.

“Well, I feel much better since the start of the week. I’m not going to say I feel great, that I’m 100%.

“The cold is still there a little bit, but it’s kind of superstitious as well. It helps to breathe normally, it helps a lot. But once I started the tournament with that, I couldn’t take it off.”

The world No 3 explained he is motivated by the prospect of becoming the first Spanish champion in Rotterdam as he also addressed the questions about his indoor credentials.

“It’s my first time in Rotterdam and I feel as if I’ve been coming for years because of the affection and support I’m receiving,” Alcaraz added. “Also, knowing that a Spaniard has never won here motivates me.

“It’s my first indoor final, it’s something special because there’s been a lot of talk about my performances on this type of court, so tomorrow is a good time to show that I can play well in these conditions.”