“I felt like I was 13”: Carlos Alcaraz’s brutal confession after his fall to Dimitrov at the Miami Masters

Carlos Alcaraz (2nd) arrived at the Miami Masters 1000 as the big favorite after being crowned Indian Wells Champion for the second consecutive edition , to which was added the decision of Novak Djokovic who chose not to participate. The truth is that the Murcian was looking to win the Double Sunshine (victory of Indian Wells and Miami in the same season), which he did well, since he reached the quarter-finals without giving up a single set. However, Grigor Dimitrov (12th) I would have other plans.

The Bulgarian showed the signs of the player who made his third place in the world in 2017. The current 12th in the world was very precise with his one-handed backhand returns, on which the Spaniard had no chance, as he did not He only needed a little more than an hour and a half of match time to defeat the big tournament favorite in sets of 6-2 and 6-4.

Alcaraz not only found answers on the field, but also in his post-match explanation, because from his point of view he played at a good level, even if he found himself without major weapons to counter the Bulgarian. “He played almost perfect tennis. I couldn’t find any solutions or make him feel uncomfortable on the track. For his part, it was a very good match. I think I played good tennis. I left the field feeling like I had played well. Not perfect, but good “, he began in his analysis.

Then came a brutal confession of his feelings at the meeting. “I told my team that It made me feel like I was 13. It was crazy. I did not know what to do. He had no weaknesses. That’s why I feel this frustration, but yes, the next time I face him, I will try different things. With him playing at this level, it’s very difficult to beat him. “.

“I don’t remember feeling that way. If it happened, it was a long time ago. I did not know what to do. I was looking for solutions, but it didn’t allow me to do so. I felt immense frustration and this is what happened to me today “He continued.

It is a fact that the next challenge of the second in the ATP ranking will be the clay court tour, but he did not want to venture on what his next tournament will be and assured that it will take him a few days to decide serenely.

The one who finished with completely different feelings was Grigor Dimitrov, the big winner of the evening. The 32-year-old has another victory over a top-ten player since 2019, when he beat third-ranked Roger Federer in the US Open quarterfinals.

However, he wanted to put the brakes on his impressive victory and take it easy so as not to lose his concentration in the semi-final against Alexander Zverev. “I don’t want to leave a mark on how I feel because tomorrow I have another match. That’s what this sport is. You are very happy about such a victory, but soon you have to focus on another match. I can only say that I am very proud of myself for playing cleanly throughout the match.

The Jaskovo native revealed that his victory is a boost of confidence, the same one he didn’t have before the match. “In the last two or three days, I have barely touched training. Conditions change a lot from day to night. I always try something new every year and after coming here a few times, look, I feel good. “I’m very proud of the team I have and how much they’ve helped me stay in my bubble.”

Of course, he did not skimp on the praise of the Murcian. “I like his game. He’s one of the smartest players there is. Sometimes I see myself reflected in him at certain times, so I can guess what might happen, even if it doesn’t always happen. He is very explosive and you always have to put him in an uncomfortable situation. Sometimes you have to put some power into your punches to keep him at bay. This is particularly interesting at delicate points. It’s like playing cat and mouse to see who strikes first. I’m sure he feels the same way. Being so young, he is a very complete tennis player. You can see everything he does. His game is something I love because it always keeps me alert,” he concluded his analysis.