Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he experienced many negative thoughts during the four-and-a-half months he spent off the court recovering from a wrist injury. The Spaniard spoke after winning the Japan Open, his second tournament since returning.
Alcaraz on his comeback doubts
“A lot of negative thoughts come to your mind: if you're gonna come back healthy, if you're gonna come back the same as I was before, if I will be able to hit the ball normally without pain at all,” Alcaraz said. “A lot of thoughts came to mind, but I tried to push them aside all the time. My team and I knew if I came back, I'm gonna be healthy 100 per cent, if I feel something, it's not gonna be anything at all, so I have to go all-in on every shot, every ball, and I trust them, I trust myself, and it worked out.”
Emotional return to winning ways
The former world No. 1 added: “I'm really happy to be able to lift a trophy again, it's been a while, and obviously it's extra special after my injury. My comeback, the second tournament that I played, lifting a trophy, it means a lot, so I'm just really, really happy about it. It was a really tough week, and I didn't find my best tennis, my best levels. I found the good solutions when it mattered, playing the most important point the best I could, and I did it this week, so I'm happy. I would say today was the best match of the week, or at least the most consistent level that I played, so just really, really happy.”
Alcaraz had been sidelined with tenosynovitis in his right wrist.
