What A Difference A Year Makes: Why Alcaraz Says He Is ‘Totally Different’

Carlos Alcaraz says he is a “normal guy”, just like the millions of fans across the world who watch him compete. Unlike almost everyone on the planet, he can call himself a Wimbledon champion.

“I have the trophy in my living room over there [so] that every time that I have lunch, have dinner with my family, I see the trophy,” Alcaraz said in a press conference on Saturday ahead of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers. “It’s something that I [don’t want] to forget.”

Alcaraz’s thrilling five-set victory over Novak Djokovic in the championship match of the grass-court major is a match that will be remembered for years to come. Nearly one month later, the magnitude of his win has still not completely set in.

“I had just a week to think about it. I had not too much time. And I think I needed a little bit more because it’s something that is crazy to realise,” Alcaraz said. “Honestly, for me, winning Wimbledon at 20 years old is something that I dreamed about when I started playing tennis. It was my fourth tournament on grass, so it was totally unexpected.

“So for me, it’s a great achievement and it’s something that I have to take some time to think about.”

Alcaraz has battled with Djokovic throughout 2023 for No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and arrived in Toronto Friday in top spot. Given all he has achieved, it is easy to forget he is only 20 years old.

“Sometimes I think about everything that I’ve achieved already. I know that everything came so fast. Great tournaments, two Grand Slams, and I’m just 20 years old. I know that I’m so young,” Alcaraz said. “It’s something that I worked to be in this position to fight for great things. But you never realise until you’ve done it.

“There [are] some times that I think about the last point of the US Open, the last point of Wimbledon and other great tournaments that I won and I still can’t believe it and still get goosebumps, so it’s crazy.”

One year ago, Alcaraz made his ATP Masters 1000 Canada debut in Montreal, where he lost his opening match to Tommy Paul in three gruelling sets. He is eager to make a more successful debut in Toronto.

“I remember that I [did] not [have] a good run last year in Canada. I came this year to change it, hopefully to have a good run, better than last year. But one year later, I think I learned a lot from that situation on how to deal with the pressure, how to deal [with] everything,” Alcaraz said. “I have been playing in great stadiums in great rounds and I’m fighting for great things. I think that helped me a lot to grow up as a player, as a person, and I think one year later, I’m totally different.”

What was clear Saturday afternoon at Sobeys Stadium when Alcaraz trained with Daniil Medvedev was how much of a star the Spaniard has become. Fans chanted his name and rushed courtside to try to secure an autograph or selfie from the top seed, who will begin his tournament against Ben Shelton or Bernabe Zapata Miralles.

“It’s great to be here. I had my first practice today with Medvedev and I felt the love from the people,” Alcaraz said. “They were screaming, ‘Carlitos. let’s go! Come on!’ It was my first practice and my first time here in Toronto, so it was special.”