Miami
Alcaraz targeted on being ‘one step forward’ throughout Miami title bid
World No. 1 compares the pattern of gamers elevating their degree towards him to ‘chess’
March 20, 2026
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz is 16-1 on the season.
By Jerome Coombe
With the begin to the season that Carlos Alcaraz has put collectively, it’s simple to see why opponents are turning to a extra ultra-aggressive method towards him.
The No. 1 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings opened 2026 with 16 consecutive wins earlier than Daniil Medvedev halted that streak with a composed baseline show within the Indian Wells semi-finals final week. That match mirrored a rising sample: gamers elevating their degree — and depth — in an effort to unsettle the Spaniard.
“I feel I’m simply attempting to take it as a praise [when] gamers attempt to play their finest, extra aggressively in the event that they wish to beat me,” Alcaraz instructed ATP Media in a pre-tournament interview in Miami. “I feel it is a terrific factor to know and clearly I’m simply actually glad that they’re taking us [as] gamers to attempt to beat, and we are attempting to make them enhance as a participant as nicely. So for me, that is nice.
“However typically once I step on the court docket and see the opponent enjoying that degree, it’s not that humorous.”
Alcaraz now turns his consideration to the Miami Open presented by Itau, aiming to rebound from his semi-final loss in Indian Wells. The highest seed, nonetheless, can anticipate extra of the identical high-powered shotmaking from throughout the web early in his title bid.
In his opening match, Alcaraz will face #NextGenATP standout Joao Fonseca, who pushed World No. 2 Jannik Sinner to 2 tie-breaks in Indian Wells. The 19-year-old will little doubt convey his fearless, attacking model into their first Lexus ATP Head2Head assembly, however Alcaraz is concentrated on staying forward of that aggression.
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— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 19, 2026
“I am attempting to be one step ahead. Making an attempt to see what their subsequent transfer goes to be earlier than they make it,” Alcaraz stated. “It’s like chess in a method. [I’m] attempting to be there a bit bit earlier or attempting to suppose what is going on to occur subsequent. Then I can take into consideration my transfer.
“I am attempting that or simply attempting to be extra aggressive than them or attempting to not allow them to be in a great place on a regular basis.”
Alcaraz received his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami in 2022 and holds a 13-4 document on the occasion, based on the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Final 12 months, he suffered an opening-round defeat to David Goffin, however shortly rebounded with a dominant 22-1 run via the clay season.
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