Carlos Alcaraz says he is living his dream but also adds that accomplishing his goal of being a successful tennis player doesn't mean that he is always enjoying himself on the court.
The Spanish tennis star, who will turn 22 in May, made a rapid start to his career as he already has four Grand Slam titles to his name, a silver Olympic medal, and has had a couple of stints at the world No. 1 spot.
Despite his major success at an early age, even Alcaraz hasn't been immune to rough periods. Currently, the world No. 3 is going through one after picking up surprise losses to Jiri Lehecka, Jack Draper and David Goffin in his last three tournaments.
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Alcaraz: There are times when I don't enjoy myself on the court, it's due to the pressure
"Of course, there are times when I don't enjoy myself on the court because it's difficult to handle the pressure, but I tell myself that I'm living the dream I had as a child," the 21-year-old admitted in an interview with Louis Vuitton website.
"I've always wanted to be part of the history of this sport. There are matches where I lose and I leave proud of what I did, while others take a few days to absorb because the frustration of defeat is so strong. What is certain is that you learn more from defeats than from victories."
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Alcaraz's smile is often described as infectious. And when he is smiling a lot on the court, he is also playing his best tennis and that often leads to great results.
After shockingly losing to Botic van de Zandschulp in the US Open second round last year, the Spaniard called out the tennis calendar and it was clear that was one instance when he didn't enjoy his time on the court.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz is currently in Monte Carlo, where he is preparing to play for only the second time in his career. In his 2022 debut, he lost to Sebastian Korda in his opener.
