Cincinnati: Carlos Alcaraz says he has refused to let his Wimbledon finals loss to Jannik Sinner wipe the smile from his face as he prepares for his start at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters. The world number two, who was defeated in a Grand Slam final for the first time in his career in London last month, spent his first full day at the Cincinnati site on Wednesday and said he is ready for a reboot during the second half of the season.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Alcaraz expressed pride in his Wimbledon performance despite the defeat. "Even if I lost, I left the court proud after Wimbledon," the 2023 Cincinnati finalist stated. He emphasized the importance of adapting goals for the latter part of the season, focusing on improvement and enjoying his time both on and off the court. Alcaraz also mentioned his ambition to reclaim the number one ranking by the end of the year.
After choosing to skip the ATP Toronto Masters alongside top-ranked Sinner, Alcaraz spent three weeks in Spain, where he took time off and engaged in training. "I took a week off, not doing anything. Then I started training at home and visiting with friends and family. Just being at home in the summer - I couldn't believe it," he said. The time at home has left him eager to make a strong appearance at the Cincinnati tournament.
Reflecting on his rivalry with Sinner, who he defeated at the French Open before losing to him at Wimbledon, Alcaraz expressed satisfaction with their competitive dynamic. "I'm happy to be building such a rivalry," he commented, acknowledging their significant contributions to tennis in a short period. He added, "People talk about what we have done for the history books. But we have long careers ahead of us.. let's see how far we can go."