Carlos Alcaraz makes candid maturity admission after ‘losing his mind’ in Daniil Medvedev loss

US Open

Ewan West
September 9, 2023

Carlos Alcaraz gave the brutal assessment that he is “not mature enough to handle these kind of matches” after his defeat to Daniil Medvedev at the 2023 US Open.

The two-time Grand Slam winner admitted he “lost his mind” during the first set tiebreak of the semi-final clash and found it tough to recover.

World No 3 Medvedev stunned the defending champion 7-6(3), 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in a pulsating encounter on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday.

In a tight opening set where Medvedev saved the only two break points, the 2021 champion crucially won the last four points in the tiebreak.

Alcaraz had won his two previous encounters with the 27-year-old this year convincingly in straight sets – in the Indian Wells final and the Wimbledon semi-finals.

Following just his second defeat at a major since Wimbledon last year, the 20-year-old suggested he did not react well to the first set slipping away.

“Well, I think I started the match pretty well. It was a close first set. In the tiebreak, you know, after 3-All in the tiebreak, I, let’s say, I lose my mind. I make three or four points without control,” said the Spaniard in his post-match press conference.

“I didn’t think. I totally lose my mind on that set, and fighting for 50 minutes and then, you know, for four points lose my mind. It was really tough for me to handle it. You know, in the second set I didn’t came back. It was almost in the moon (smiling).

“For me it was tough. Obviously Daniil, he was playing great. You know, it was tough for me to came back, you know, to the match and playing a great game again. You know, I almost threw the racquet to floor, but I just control myself just be in the moment, but it was tough for me to stay calm.”

The world No 1, who will be replaced at the top of the ATP Rankings by Novak Djokovic next week, made a harsh claim about his own maturity.

“Well, you know, these kind of matches can happen even if I feel myself [a] different player, more mature. You know, he played really, really great, a great game. So I couldn’t find solutions on the match,” added Alcaraz.

“You know, I thought that, you know, right now I am better player to find solutions when the match is not going in the right direction for you. But, you know, after this match, you know, I gonna change my mind. I’m not mature enough to handle these kind of matches. So I have to learn about it.”

Carlos Alcaraz Daniil Medvedev