Alcaraz, crying at the final in Paris: “I don’t have good memories of that match, but I learned my lesson”

A Carlos Alcaraz 18 years old, loved throughout the tennis world for his eternal smile and amazing genius for a player of such a young age, suddenly finds himself in a totally different environment. From the love for novelty to a hell that takes the inexperienced athlete by surprise, who cries bitterly on the court, without understanding anything.

Difficult to manage so much hostility for someone who has just landed in the professionals, whose behavior has been exquisite. The Paris Bercy stands do not forgive against the rival of a Frenchman, and choose to support Hugo Gaston frightening a kid with shouts and boos.

It was 2021. Carlos Alcaraz He has had to wait five years to take his small personal revenge with a tournament that has been bad for him until 2026, when he has been scheduled for the final this Sunday, at 3 in the afternoon, with the American Ben Shelton.

“I couldn’t explain why I haven’t had good results here, I think I’ve played good tennis some years and I’ve lost in the first round and it’s true that other times I haven’t reached 100%. I know I would have a good result sooner or later, and it has arrived,” he said in the Paris Masters 1000 ATP.

“This time I have arrived with more ambition and hunger, fresher physically and mentally,” he points out about those five months of absence that now mean not suffering the usual wear and tear of these late dates on the ATP calendar.

He can also proclaim that “I love this atmosphere”, because he enjoyed the crowd during his comeback to Taylor Fritz. He was soaked in the energy of a fan dedicated to him. In a different scenario than 2021, not because of its appearance, also in the strict sense.

The infernal pot of Paris-Bercy is not as intense in the new headquarters. In 2025 the event moved to La Defénse, to the now called Plenitude Arena.

But, above all, Carlos Alcaraz He took very good note of that harassment he suffered in 2021. “I don’t have a good memory of that match, but seen later it was an important moment for my career. For the first time I felt outside pressure and I learned a lesson, that you should not listen to the public, that you should focus on yourself, on your tennis and not let the rest affect you. I learned a lot from that match,” the Murcian means.

Already with thousands of experiences, seven Grand Slam titles. A contrasted international figure. That he learned to isolate himself from the noise that is generated outside his vital core.

His revenge can be complete if he defeats his executioner from the last US Open, Ben Sheltonand lifts a trophy that seemed so elusive, for Alcaraz and Spanish tennis, since only David Ferrer appears in the honors of an event that is celebrating its fortieth anniversary.