Carlos Alcaraz will get his second year of title defences underway later today, as he faces Fabio Fognini in the Wimbledon first round.
A match he is expected to win with minimal fuss, from the outside looking in, this 22-year-old has the world at his feet.
He’s young, supremely talented and thus will be inundated with cash, living the dream for most onlookers.
However, life is not always as easy as it seems, and for professional athletes, finding time to reap the benefits of your success at times can be impossible.
Carlos Alcaraz has sought to reinforce that notion, dispelling a commonly held myth.
Carlos Alcaraz talks about the troubles of being a tennis player
Chatting with Polish media outlet Polsatsport ahead of Wimbledon, he admitted that there is one thing that so many tennis fans forget when talking about the players.
The Spaniard claimed: ‘Yeah absolutely. We are just on court two, three hours per day; for the rest of the day, you’re off the court. Other things can happen, we’re human beings. Mentally you have to be with everything, on court, off court, with the spectators, for the people, for yourself, but it’s sometimes not easy.
‘People are just focused on what’s going on on the court, and they forget about everything else. How hard we are putting into work just to be in a good shape. Sometimes it’s needed to take breaks for you, to refresh your mind to be great again and get you back on the court again for the amazing people who enjoy watching tennis.’
Ironically, Jack Draper outlined what people get wrong about him as well, echoing similar sentiments within days of one another.
Carlos Alcaraz balances business with pleasure perfectly
In potentially the most well-documented holiday in existence, everyone, by now, will know that Alcaraz went to Ibiza after his French Open title win.
It has become an annual tradition now, and seems to be working given last year he won Roland Garros, enjoyed a week of partying, lost early at Queen’s and then defended his Wimbledon title at a canter.
Following that same path this year, except actually winning Queen’s this time around, it seems that he has struck the perfect balance between business and pleasure.
Some players have all the talent in the world but lack the drive needed to apply it regularly on tour. This has seen so much potential squandered over the years.
Conversely, other stars neglect any kind of relaxation, and thus suffer a burnout, whether it be mid-way through a year or early in their careers.
At the current rate Alcaraz is enjoying life, he could go on to play for nearly another two decades, and compete for elite honours consistently throughout too.
