WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz reveals how he nearly missed out on 2022 Barcelona Open title
With the 2023 Barcelona Open underway in full swing, let’s take a look back at last year’s tournament when Carlos Alcaraz nearly missed out on the opportunity to clinch the title.
Alcaraz was due to face Alex de Minaur from Australia in the semi-final, but he had found himself in a difficult situation after failing down a flight of stairs, which became an issue for him as he intially thought that it could force him to withdraw from the remainder of the tournament.
In an interview with Tennis TV, the Spanish star revealed: “I thought that I was not able to play the semi-final, and to get through that was tough for me.”
The teenager voiced his concerns about how he felt about the stair debacle and said that he was concerned that it would affect his semi-final match. However, the youngster still managed to push through the pain and go on to win the last-four encounter 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 against the Australian.
After the clash, he was asked if he had experienced any pain or discomfort while playing. The rising star reassured the fans and his interviewer by saying that he was full of adrenaline, which helped him to forget about the pain.
“No, because of the adrenaline, when you are playing, you forget everything and you are focused on playing,” said Alcaraz.
He also stated that his doctor and physio played a significant role in making sure that the star was able to compete to the best of his ability.
“Of course, with my doctor and physio they did some stuff to help me not feel the pain,” said the 19-year-old.
Alcaraz will undoubtedly be cautious when using any set of stairs in hopes to not find himself in the same situation that he experienced last year.
“Now, I am really really careful, when I am on the stairs,” said the Spaniard.
Despite his stair issue, the young star went on to play in the final against Pablo Carreno Busta. It was an exciting yet relatively easy match for Alcaraz, who managed to dictate the entire match and win his first-ever Barcelona Open title. The final ended with a score of 6-3, 6-2, proving that Alcaraz not only has the ability to be the best, but he also has the mentality to do so.
Alcaraz will play his first match of the 2023 Barcelona Open in the round of 32 against Nuno Borges later on Tuesday. The defending champion will look to make a good start to the tournament as he looks to retain his crown.
READ MORE: Carlos Alcaraz talks about his title defence at the Barcelona Open
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