Carlos Alcaraz, the tennis sensation who has taken the sport by storm in recent years, made a stunning admission in a recent interview: he nearly walked away from tennis entirely just before his meteoric rise to stardom. The Spanish prodigy, now a Grand Slam champion and world No. 1, revealed that his journey to the top was not as smooth as it seemed from the outside. Beneath the victories and praise lay moments of doubt, frustration, and pressure that almost caused him to give up on his dream.
In this candid and emotional revelation, Alcaraz opened up about the mental and physical challenges he faced as a teenager trying to break through in one of the most competitive sports in the world. “There was a point where I seriously considered quitting,” Alcaraz said. “It felt like I wasn’t making the progress I wanted, and the pressure was getting to me. I wasn’t sure if I had what it took to make it.”
The Early Days: Pressure and Sacrifice
Carlos Alcaraz’s love affair with tennis began at a very young age in his hometown of El Palmar, Murcia, Spain. His father, a former tennis player and coach, introduced him to the sport when he was just three years old. By the time he was five, Alcaraz was already showing signs of remarkable talent, and it wasn’t long before people in the local tennis community started to take notice.
Despite his talent, Alcaraz’s journey to the top was anything but easy. Growing up, he had to balance schoolwork with hours of intense training, often traveling long distances to compete in junior tournaments. While his raw talent was evident, the sacrifices he and his family made were significant. His parents had to make financial sacrifices to support his career, and young Carlos often felt the weight of those expectations.
As Alcaraz started to rise through the junior ranks, the pressure to succeed grew. He was hailed as Spain’s next great hope in tennis, with comparisons to Rafael Nadal emerging early on. While these comparisons were flattering, they also brought immense pressure for the young player. “It’s hard when people are always comparing you to one of the greatest players of all time,” Alcaraz admitted. “I was just a kid trying to figure out my own path, and sometimes it felt like the expectations were too much.”
The Struggles Before the Breakthrough
Despite his success in junior tournaments, transitioning to the professional level was far more challenging than Alcaraz had anticipated. At 16, he began competing in ATP Challenger tournaments, facing opponents who were not only older but also much more experienced. The physicality of the game, the travel, and the constant grind began to take a toll on the young player.
“I was losing matches that I thought I should have won,” Alcaraz recalled. “It was frustrating because I knew I had the talent, but I wasn’t getting the results. There were moments where I doubted whether I was good enough.”
It wasn’t just the losses that were difficult for Alcaraz to handle; it was also the pressure to meet the high expectations placed upon him. By the age of 17, he was already being touted as a future Grand Slam champion, a lot for any teenager to handle. “I knew people were expecting big things from me, and that pressure sometimes made it hard to enjoy the game,” he explained. “I started to feel like I was playing for others, not for myself.”
Adding to the pressure was the physical strain of competing at such a high level. Alcaraz’s intense training regimen, combined with the demands of the professional tour, led to several injuries. He suffered from shoulder and knee issues, which forced him to take time off and further slowed his progress. The setbacks led to more frustration, and at one point, Alcaraz began to seriously consider walking away from the sport altogether.
“I remember after one particularly tough match, I was so frustrated,” Alcaraz said. “I had been working so hard, but it felt like nothing was going my way. I talked to my family and my team about quitting. I wasn’t sure if I could handle the pressure and the constant disappointment.”
The Turning Point: Mental Strength and Support
Despite his doubts, Alcaraz didn’t quit. He credits his family, his team, and his coach, former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, with helping him regain his focus and confidence during one of the toughest periods of his career. “My family and my coach were always there for me, reminding me why I started playing tennis in the first place,” Alcaraz said. “They never stopped believing in me, even when I wasn’t sure if I believed in myself.”
Ferrero, in particular, played a crucial role in helping Alcaraz overcome his mental struggles. Having been through the highs and lows of professional tennis himself, Ferrero understood the pressures Alcaraz was facing. “Juan Carlos helped me a lot, especially with the mental side of the game,” Alcaraz revealed. “He taught me how to handle pressure, how to stay calm in difficult moments, and how to believe in my abilities. He always told me that setbacks are part of the journey, and that I just needed to keep working hard.”
In addition to the support from his team, Alcaraz also began working with a sports psychologist to develop mental strategies for dealing with pressure and setbacks. This, he says, was a game-changer. “I learned how to stay present, how to focus on one point at a time, and how to keep a positive mindset even when things weren’t going well,” Alcaraz explained. “The mental side of the game is just as important as the physical side, and once I started working on that, everything started to fall into place.”
The Breakthrough: Climbing to the Top
Alcaraz’s hard work and perseverance eventually paid off. In 2021, he had his breakthrough season, capturing his first ATP title at the Croatia Open and making waves at the US Open, where he reached the quarterfinals as a teenager. His electrifying style of play, combining power, agility, and finesse, quickly made him a fan favorite and a serious contender on the ATP Tour.
By 2022, Alcaraz’s rise to the top of the tennis world was undeniable. He won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open, defeating some of the biggest names in the sport along the way. His victory not only made him the youngest US Open champion since Pete Sampras in 1990 but also propelled him to the top of the ATP rankings, making him the youngest player ever to reach world No. 1.
Reflecting on his journey, Alcaraz acknowledges how close he came to giving it all up. “I’m so glad I didn’t quit,” he said. “There were moments when it felt like the easier option, but I’m grateful for the people who pushed me to keep going. All the struggles, the injuries, the doubts – they’ve made me stronger. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
Learning to Embrace Pressure
Now, as one of the brightest stars in tennis, Alcaraz has learned to embrace the pressure that comes with being at the top. “I’ve realized that pressure is a privilege,” he said. “It means people believe in you, and it means you have the opportunity to do something great. I’ve learned to use that pressure as motivation, rather than letting it bring me down.”
Alcaraz’s approach to the mental side of the game has evolved significantly since those early years of doubt and frustration. “I’ve learned that tennis is a marathon, not a sprint,” he said. “There are going to be ups and downs, but you have to stay focused on the long-term goal. For me, it’s not about winning every match or every tournament, but about constantly improving and becoming the best player I can be.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Carlos Alcaraz’s journey from a frustrated teenager on the verge of quitting to the world’s No. 1 tennis player is a story of perseverance, resilience, and mental strength. His candid admission about nearly walking away from the sport adds another layer to his already compelling narrative and serves as an inspiration for young athletes everywhere.
“I hope my story can inspire others who might be going through tough times,” Alcaraz said. “There were moments when I wasn’t sure if I could make it, but I kept going, and now I’m living my dream. If you believe in yourself and put in the work, anything is possible.”
As Alcaraz continues to dominate on the court and push the boundaries of what’s possible, he remains grounded, grateful, and focused on the future. “I still have so much to learn and achieve,” he said. “But I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I’m going to keep giving it everything I’ve got.”
Carlos Alcaraz’s rise may have been marked by moments of doubt, but his determination to persevere has already made him one of the most compelling figures in tennis. As he continues to reach new heights, there’s no telling how far this young star will go.