By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, April 14, 2025
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Facebook
Streaks of vibrant red clay clung to the socks of Carlos Alcaraz, a testament to his relentless drive in securing his first Monte-Carlo title.
Alcaraz performed a remarkable comeback, overcoming a set deficit to defeat a struggling Lorenzo Musetti with scores of 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, marking his 18th career title.
This win was yet another demonstration of Alcaraz’s formidable resilience during the tournament.
Displaying true tenacity, he powered through five consecutive games, battling past 20-year-old French talent Arthur Fils with a comeback of 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, to advance to his inaugural Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters semifinal.
Facing triple break point at 5-all in the second set, Alcaraz flipped the narrative, rallying to win nine out of the next 10 points, seizing the crucial second set.
His triumph in Monte-Carlo imparted an invaluable lesson to Alcaraz: confront challenges and confront fears head-on.
Reflecting on his co-coach Samuel Lopez’s mantra to “stay strong when stress arises,” Alcaraz believed that maintaining a positive outlook played a pivotal role in his success.
“As my coach Samuel often said, staying positive was the most repeated advice this week. Staying strong and positive,” Alcaraz shared with the media in Monte-Carlo. “One key takeaway from this week was that you must confront the difficulties you face; don’t sidestep them.”
“This approach shifted my perspective significantly because in matches, you must meet challenges directly, rather than fearing them. Once you acknowledge and confront it, everything falls into place.”
“Thanks to a focus on positivity and facing those critical moments, it turned out to be a remarkable week.”
Another significant realization: Alcaraz proved he is capable of clinching a Masters 1000 title, even with his performance fluctuating through matches.
During both the quarterfinals and finals, Alcaraz’s first serve occasionally went astray, his forehand stumbled on routine shots, and errors accumulated from his ambitious near-line plays.
Yet, on crucial points, Alcaraz consistently found the perfect balance between aggression and strategy.
Having just kicked off his clay season, he feels that as he gains more experience on this surface, his performance will sharpen.
His record supports this optimism: since May, the dynamic Alcaraz stands at an impressive 17-1 on clay, with his sole defeat coming against Novak Djokovic in a gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics held at Roland Garros.
“I realized that the noise outside doesn’t matter; I just need to concentrate on myself,” Alcaraz expressed. “I’m not saying I’ve proven others wrong, but I’m simply glad I could refocus on the essentials and maintain my focus on myself, my team, and the game. I’m thrilled that I managed to achieve this.”
