Carlos Alcaraz may have dominated the ATP Tour in 2022, but it doesn't mean the 19-year-old is unwilling to ask for assistance from other competitors when necessary.
On Monday at Wimbledon, the Spaniard faces Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening round. Alcaraz acknowledged he is eager to pick up tips from others to make up for his relative lack of expertise on the surface as he gets ready for just the second tour-level grass-court tournament of his career.
“Of course. I try to watch the training of the best players,” said Alcaraz in his pre-tournament press conference on Sunday, shortly after hitting with British No. 2 Daniel Evans. “I think he [Evans] plays very well on grass. I'm trying to copy some things from the best [players].
“I always watch videos of [Roger] Federer, [Novak] Djokovic, Rafa [Nadal], Andy [Murray] as well. I try to copy moves and stuff from them.
Two-time champion Nadal is a particularly significant inspiration for Alcaraz because he is a fellow Spaniard and grew up playing primarily on clay. The 19-year-old thinks that Nadal's success on grass provides him with a clear example to emulate.