By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, April 11, 2025
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Facebook
The Carlos Alcaraz player box is devoid of a defibrillator—but perhaps it should have one!
Recently, Alcaraz’s flair for electrifying comebacks is becoming a source of anxiety for his loved ones.
The fearless Alcaraz stormed back from a set down, overcoming 20-year-old French talent Arthur Fils with scores of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to secure his inaugural semifinal spot at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
In a tense moment, the second-seed Alcaraz faced triple break point at 5-5 in the second set, only to rally back strong and win nine out of the next ten points, claiming the set.
While fans revel in the thrills that come from Alcaraz’s fearless plays in high-pressure situations, it’s a different story for his father and coach, Carlos Alcaraz, who are left on the edge of their seats.
“For the sake of my health and my team’s wellbeing, I think we should aim to play the pivotal points a little earlier,” Alcaraz humorously stated during his interview in Monte-Carlo. “My team and my dad have joked that they might just have a heart attack watching me!”
“But that’s the essence of a true champion—they know when to turn it up,” he continued. “Of course, I’d love to sustain my highest level of play from the first point to the last, but in tennis, matches can extend over two or two and a half hours—it’s a real challenge to keep peak performance throughout.”
Alcaraz, who sometimes struggles with consistency and first serves, found himself in a precarious situation against the athletic Fils.
Channeling the wisdom of his idol, Rafael Nadal, Alcaraz revealed his quest to remain both hungry and humble, especially when facing adversity.
He acknowledged that while he aims to enhance his performance throughout the entire match, he recognizes that fluctuations in form can be unavoidable against fierce competitors like Fils.
“When it’s necessary, I manage to conjure up good tennis,” Alcaraz reflected. “I wish I could maintain my top game throughout, but at times, I’m facing an opponent who’s just on fire, and I have to embrace that and keep fighting.”
“I played a solid second set, but it took both of us—neither of us had chances till the end, which means we were both on top of our game during the service games. I believe real champions know how to elevate their game during critical moments.”
The world number three Alcaraz is gearing up for another formidable challenge against his friend and occasional practice partner Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in an exciting all-Spanish semifinal.
In today’s earlier quarterfinal matchup, 2022 Monte-Carlo finalist Davidovich Fokina showcased his dominance without conceding a single break point, decisively defeating Aussie Alexei Popyrin 6-3, 6-2 in just 69 minutes, winning 26 of 32 first-serve points.
This semifinal shapes up to be a captivating duel between two exceptional athletes capable of making any point feel like a marathon or a sprint. Alcaraz will need to sharpen his serving skills against his compatriot.
“He invited me to his wedding—he’s a friend,” Alcaraz shared about Davidovich Fokina. “We go way back. He used to hit with my older brother when they were younger, too.”
“I know him quite well; we’ve faced off a few times and practiced a lot together. So, it’ll be intriguing. It’s always tough to compete against a friend, but this is tennis.”
“When the match starts, there are no friends (smiling). I will give it my all—there’s no room for fatigue or fear. I am determined to showcase my best tennis, and let’s see how it goes.”
