Carlos Alcaraz is one of the players who had complained the most about the excessive length of the season and had asked the ATP management to reduce the number of tournaments in order to reduce injuries.
Some players and insiders agreed with the words of the young Spaniard, while others highlighted an important contradiction.
The 4-time Grand Slam champion is certainly one of the most spectacular players on the men's tour right now and loves to have fun on the tennis court, which is why he has played several exhibitions in recent years.
Going back a few months, the 21-year-old from Murcia had been one of the protagonists of the 'Six Kings Slam' in Saudi Arabia in October 2024. Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune were also present at that exhibition tournament which guaranteed participants a crazy prize money.
At the beginning of December, the current world number 3 had played two exhibition matches in the United States (against Ben Shelton at Madison Square Garden in New York and against Frances Tiafoe in Charlotte) before starting his preparation.
Ferrero defends Carlitos
Carlitos who was eliminated by Jiri Lehecka in the quarterfinals at the Doha ATP 500 last week will play an exhibition match even before the Indian Wells Masters 1000. Notably, the former world No.1 will face American ace Tiafoe in Puerto Rico on March 2nd.
Alcaraz has already arrived in Puerto Rico and some fans have criticized his choice to play an exhibition at this stage of the season.
His coach Juan Carlos Ferrero expressed his sincere opinion on the matter: Exhibitions help to relax a little; the game is played in a different way. In the end, its played at a very high level of intensity, and playing this kind of match, with a bit more smiling and entertainment for the spectators, always helps to relax a bit.
The Spaniard will have a lot of pressure in Indian Wells, where he has lifted the trophy in the last two editions.
