Corretja, about the bubble of the elite athlete: “You live in your world, oblivious to everything that happens. You don’t relate, at Roland Garros I had dinner 18 nights in a row in my room”

Alex Corretja He claims not to feel bothered if there are people who recognize him more for his current public role as a Movistar commentator than for his career in tennis, prolific for being part of the champion team of the first Davis Cup, in 2000, having won an Olympic bronze, reaching number two, caressing the number 1.

And, like a special individual treasure, the ATP Masters that he won in 1998, taking revenge against Carlos Moya of the final lost months ago at Roland Garros. The now called ATP Finals, which are held in Turin from November 15 to 22.

Corretja and her beloved Manolo Orantesfrom CT La Salut like him, are the only Spaniards in a list of honors that awaits a third Spaniard, fourth including the women’s category, in which he reigned Garbiñe Muguruza.

Rafa Jodar It opens this Sunday against the German Alexander Zverev at 2:00 p.m., the same time that it will occupy Carlos Alcaraz on Monday, against the American, a rookie in this event, Frances Tiafoe.

Corretja He will follow closely, at the Inalpi Arena as part of the Movistar Plus team, which will cover the competition on television on Deporte 2 on M+. The most notable match of each day will also be broadcast through Movistar Plus or Vamos por M+.

The former Barcelona tennis player is shining in his role as a communicator, which includes participation in several events at the International Sports Forum (FID). In one of them, in La Laguna, he left a deep reflection on the bubble in which the elite tennis player takes refuge.

“When you were a player it’s like you go everywhere and it’s a bit like a ghost, they see you a little but they don’t see you,” Corretja recalled.

Sometimes the situation took it to the extreme. “I in Roland Garros I had dinner 18 nights in a row in the room, room service, so as not to go out. “I didn’t want a mess of people, I didn’t want to cross paths with anyone.”

It became a ritual. “I ate the same thing so that my stomach wouldn’t feel bad. You live like in your world and you are very oblivious to everything that happens. It’s how I lived,” it means.

The topic of food is delicate, as you can very well point out these days Carlos Alcaraz, who had an upset stomach that made it difficult for him to cut back on his Friday training in Turin. “Now we are a little better, taking care of ourselves, not eating things I shouldn’t, although here in Italy it is difficult, but the truth is that we are doing better,” explained the Murcian.

He is one of the favorites for the title, especially considering that the current champion, the Italian, is out. Jannik Sinner, his executioner in the 2025 final.

A wink from Corretja in this regard. “My idol was Lendl. Alcaraz is in his group this year. I’ll leave it there. In a few days we will know if all this had any coincidence,” he said on social networks.