Nervous Alcaraz: I worried more about Draper than my own game

Carlos Alcaraz said that nerves and a preoccupation with the big game of Jack Draper were his undoing in his three-set semi-final loss to the British lefty at the BNP Paribas Open Saturday.

Seeking a third consecutive title at the year’s first ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, the second-seeded Spaniard saw his 16-match winning streak in the desert come to an end despite seemingly seizing the momentum midway through the match by taking the second set to love.

But the former World No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion said that he felt uneasy coming into the match and never truly settled in the 6-1, 0-6, 6-4 result.

“I always say that I have to be focused on myself, on my own game,” Alcaraz said. “I think today I was more worried about his level, his game, than myself… So when you're thinking more about the opponent than yourself, then it is a big problem.

“So that's what happened today. Since the beginning of the day, since the morning, I was thinking about his game, because he's really tough, he's really solid, and it's going to be a really physical match.”

Alcaraz was seen having an extended conversation with coach Juan Carlos Ferrero before the match. Asked to comment on the discussion, Alcaraz said: “Today has been a difficult day for me. I didn't practise well. I didn't feel myself well on court.

“Even in the warming up on court, I was missing a lot. I didn't feel my shots. So that's why I was talking with Juan Carlos on the bike, because I was a little bit mad with myself about the way I warmed up on court.

“I didn't approach the match in the best way that I could. So I was nervous during the whole day, in the practice before the match.”

Although disappointed to see his bid end to join only Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as three-peat champions in Indian Wells, Alcaraz said that he would use the defeat as a learning experience and motivation to rebound at the Miami Open presented by Itau, which begins next Wednesday.

Alcaraz dropped the first set to Draper in just 23 minutes, making 13 unforced errors and landing just 38 per cent of first serves, according to Infosys ATP Stats. He described the opener as “Probably one of the worst sets that I have played in my whole career”.

“This one hurts. I don't want to lose any match, but I think this one was even more special to me.

“How much it's gonna take to take the upset? Not too much. Not too much. Because I consider myself a person who learns from the failures, from the losses. The last time that I lost here was the semi-final [in 2022], I won Miami, so I think I will go for it. I will learn from that match, and I will make the most of myself in Miami.”

Alcaraz, who won his 17th tour-level title in Rotterdam last month, is 15-3 on the season. He sits No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Slipping to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Draper, Alcaraz was full of praise for the 23-year-old, who retired after two sets against the Spaniard at January’s Australian Open.

"I remember in January when I played him in Australia, he had to retire. I said, ‘You will be where you deserve’," said the Spaniard.

"And he deserves to be Top 10. He deserves to play a final in the Masters 1000s. I am happy about him because I didn't doubt about his level. He's ready to stay there for a long time. He's ready to play for the big events, for the big tournaments.”