Carlos Alcaraz has detailed improvements to his serve after continued comparisons with Novak Djokovic.
The Spaniard is into the Australian Open quarter-finals for the third time in his career after he defeated Tommy Paul 7-6 6-4 7-5.
It was a sublime performance from Alcaraz who is still yet to drop a set at this year’s tournament in Melbourne.
After the match Alcaraz spoke about his performance and what the most pleasing part of his performance was, “Well, I think Grand Slams, it’s always great winning in straight sets, saving energy for the next round,” Alcaraz said in his press conference.
“I think it’s even better for yourself, you know, for the mind, to have such a great win against Tommy Paul, winning in straight sets. Yeah, you know, you have to see the overall of the match. For example, something that I was working on is to maintain the focus in the whole match, which I did it today, playing such great tennis since the beginning until the end of the match. So for me it was really, really important more than saving energy, because I just have plenty of It’s more about how I have been playing during almost three hours, which was really high one.
“So it gives you lots of confidence coming to the quarterfinals. So I’m just really happy with the level that I played today, and I’m excited to see, you know, how it’s going to be in quarters.”
The key to Alcaraz’s successful campaign so far has been the Spaniard’s serve having made adjustments in the off-season.
There has been similarities to Novak Djokovic’s serve with the two players exchanging jokes about Alcaraz’s adjustments.
In his press conference Alcaraz explained why Djokovic’s serve is so tough to play against and detailed the improvements he has made, “Well, yeah, for him, I would say he doesn’t hit the fastest serve, but is super accurate,” Alcaraz said of Djokovic’s serve.
“Like, you cannot read it. It’s really, really difficult to read it. It is really close to the lines, and his ball is, like, a sleeper when it touch the ground. Yeah, as I said, it’s really difficult to see it and to return it. That what makes, you know, his serve really good one, but yeah, it’s not the fastest one. Sometimes you’ve got to go for the precisions more than the speed.
“I would say, and I have been learning that, you know, as I have been growing up and, you know, getting more experiences, you know, my team or my coach can tell you whatever, but if you don’t feel comfortable, you have to do something else. So the first, I think the first thing is that the player has to be comfortable with, which I just have full, you know, trust to my team that they are going to just put something in table that I’m pretty sure or they’re sure that I’m going to be comfortable with, whatever it is, movement or whatever.
“I just feel really, really comfortable with everything I have done, you know, so far with my team or adjustment just by myself. But, yeah, I think I gotta be comfortable on the court, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
The Spaniard will aim to continue making improvements on the serve as he bids to make a first Australian Open semi-final.
However on Tuesday it is set to be a very hot day with temperatures expected to soar but that isn’t intimidating Alcaraz, “Well, you’ve got to get used to everything. You know, I have to control the things that I can control,” Alcaraz defiantly said.
“You know, if it is going to be really, really hot on Tuesday and the roof is going to be closed, I gotta to be accepted that and just trying to play my best tennis on indoor. So whatever it is, I just will be ready. I will be focused. I will try not to think about it. I will try not to affect my game at all, and I think that’s it.
“So that’s going to be my mindset. Let’s see on Tuesday. Probably is going to change, you know, whatever. But, yeah, I think we gotta show our best tennis in every condition.”
Next up for Alcaraz will be either Alexander Bublik or Alex De Minaur in the last eight.
