Alcaraz, out in Miami opener: “I didn’t play well and I didn’t feel well”
The Spaniard lost to David Goffin after winning the first set (5-7, 6-4, 6-3)
Carlos Alcaraz in Miami (Julien Nouet for Tennis Majors)
It was an exit that few would have predicted. Carlos Alcaraz left the Miami Masters 1000 almost as soon as he took to the court against David Goffin. The Spaniard, far from the level of play he displayed last week in Indian Wells, where he crashed out in the semi-finals to Jack Draper, will now have to focus on clay.
“I just wanted to play better…after the first set I thought I was going to be better. I think he played well, he played good tennis. My level didn’t increase. I think his level after the first increased a little bit, a high percentage of first serve, which helped his level.
“In general it was a poor level for me,” he told the media after the match.
“I didn’t play well, physically I didn’t feel well, in these kinds of matches when you don’t have the confidence in your level physically, I think it’s really tough to maintain good tennis.”
Alcaraz find no excuse
But Alcaraz made no excuses for himself.
“I felt good, a little bit nervous, which is normal before the match, but nothing more than that. I just felt ready. I thought that I was going to play really good tennis. It didn’t happen.”
And he clarified that he was not carrying an injury and was not unwell; he was simply feeling tired in his legs after a tough battle.
“I don’t know what’s going to be the next few days for me. I don’t know if I’m going to analyse it; I don’t know if I’m going to try to forget it.”
