Carlos Alcaraz is set for an intensive period on the ATP Tour following his first title victory in eight months at the Japan Open.
Alcaraz returned with a title victory in just his second tournament since returning to action for the first time in four and a half months following a wrist injury he suffered at the Barcelona Open in April.
The Spaniard reached the quarterfinals of the US Open, but he went even further by toppling the likes of Jiri Lehecka and Jaume Munar to win the Barcelona Open.
Now, Alcaraz is set for a busy period, which includes the Shanghai Masters, the Six Kings Slam, the Paris Masters, the ATP Finals, and the Davis Cup Finals.
Speaking at the Shanghai Masters, Alcaraz revealed how his body is holding up after such a long time away from the ATP Tour.
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“I wouldn’t say my body is fresher because, after being away from competition for so long, when you return to the tour and start playing physically demanding matches, your body isn’t used to it and minor issues can arise,” said Alcaraz.
“It’s quite normal, but I feel mentally fresh, which is the most important thing for me. I’m ready to face the challenge of this tournament.
“If we look back a couple of years, this part of the season has probably never been my best, so now I want to be in good shape because I really want to win tournaments, this one and the ones I have in a few months. I think it’s an extra boost for the rest of the season.”
While Alcaraz is on top of the world now, he has dampened expectations when it comes to the star potentially winning every event until the end of the season.
“Tennis is, in a way, like a roller coaster,” admitted the world No 3. “A player can start the year really well, winning two, three, or four tournaments, and then everything can change. Another player can dominate during the clay or even grass season and win every tournament, but then in the United States, everything can change.
“A year can be very long; we play a lot of matches and a lot of tournaments, and we have a lot of time to adapt our game as best as possible for the rest of the season.
“You have to be prepared and focused every tournament and every week of training to be better because the other players might be training harder to catch up with you. That’s the beauty of tennis: many players fighting for the same thing and the rankings constantly changing.”
With the announcement of Jannik Sinner ending his season early, Alcaraz will be one of two favourites to win every tournament he enters until the end of the year.
He, along with Alexander Zverev, will be the top two seeds at every tournament, but he will need to raise his level to continue his winning streak.
He was not at his best at the Japan Open, despite his first title for months, but the expectation is that he will continue to improve with every match.
Alcaraz will play the winner of the first round match between Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Nicolás Mejía in the second round of the Shanghai Masters.
