“Even if Nadal had been there, I would have given myself no less chance of winning,” says Carlos Alcaraz

Winner in Barcelona and then in Madrid, Carlos Alcaraz arrives for the 2023 edition of Roland-Garros as the favorite alongside Novak Djokovic. The 20-year-old Spaniard, unexpectedly beaten by Fabian Marozsan in Rome, proclaims his ambitions, in the presence or absence of the local king, Rafael Nadal. “Even if Rafael Nadal had been there, I would have given myself no less chance of winning”said the number 1 in the world, on Friday 26 May, two days before the Parisian Grand Slam, where he will face Flavio Cobolli, from the qualifiers, in the first round.

For the first time you are the No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam…

Carlos Alcaraz : It’s crazy. To be the No. 1 seed at a Grand Slam is incredible. I’ve worked for it, to get there, to get to the top, so I’m happy. But I don’t feel pressure anymore because I’m No. 1 in the world or No. 1 seeded. I know very well why I’m here, what I have to do, how I have to play, how I feel: not so much focusing on wanting to get a good result to stay number 1 or something like that, but play my game, have fun. And the good results will come from there. I’d say I’m more mature than last year, mentally I’m better and I read better what’s happening on the pitch, it’s very important to me.