Carlos Alcaraz praised for statement Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic never made

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Carlos Alcaraz handed over the world number one spot to Jannik Sinner in Monte Carlo, but it didn’t come as a shock.

Alcaraz even predicted the switch ahead of time. After his opening win in Monte Carlo, he mentioned that he expected Sinner to take over the top spot soon enough.

Former ATP pro Sam Querrey has since weighed in on those remarks, sharing his perspective on what Alcaraz had to say.

Sam Querrey says Carlos Alcaraz is ‘okay with losing’ and argues that makes him dangerous

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Speaking on the latest episode of ‘Nothing Major’, Querrey explained why he was struck by Alcaraz’s comments.

“I thought it was cool that before the tournament they interviewed Carlos [Alcaraz] and he acknowledged he was going to lose the number one ranking at some point,” Querrey said.

He added: “Whether that was Monte Carlo or some point during the clay court season, he knows basically that he has too many points to defend.

“[Jannik] Sinner does not have any.”

Querrey also noted that Alcaraz’s openness stood out compared to how other top players approached similar situations.

“I never remember Rafa [Nadal], Roger [Federer], or Novak [Djokovic] saying that. He was basically just like I’m okay with it.”

Querrey went on to suggest this mindset sets Alcaraz apart from his predecessors. “I feel like that checks out for Carlos too,” he said. “When I watch him play matches, I feel like he is okay with losing.”

Alcaraz might look to take advantage of that relaxed approach when play gets underway at the Barcelona Open. With Sinner taking a break this week, a win for Alcaraz in his home event would put him back on top of the rankings.

The question now is: who will stand in his way as he tries to reclaim his spot at number one?

Path to the Barcelona Open title for Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz opens his campaign against Otto Virtanen, a Finnish qualifier ranked 130th in the world.

Virtanen hasn’t yet recorded a main draw win on the ATP Tour this season and will be up against it facing one of the sport’s top players.

If Alcaraz moves past that test, he’ll face either Sebastian Baez or Tomas Machac in the second round.

Both are capable opponents, but Alcaraz will be favoured to progress without major issues.

The quarter-finals could see him meet Russia’s Andrey Rublev, who has shown quality on clay before but struggled at Monte Carlo recently.

If things go to plan, a semi-final matchup with Alex de Minaur could be next. The Australian reached the quarters in Monte Carlo but hasn’t had any success against Alcaraz in their previous meetings.

A win there might set up a final against Lorenzo Musetti, Karen Khachanov, or Arthur Fils – all strong players who could present challenges if they’re playing well.

If Alcaraz finds anything close to his best form, though, he should have enough to come through and lift the trophy again. For now, though, his focus is firmly on Virtanen and getting off to a good start when he plays his first-round match on Tuesday 14 April.

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