"I try to repeat them even if they are nonsense" - Carlos Alcaraz on his on-court superstitions
Carlos Alcaraz's quick rise to the top of the men's game has been fairly well documented, but he remains a relatively newer presence in the public sphere.
There are several aspects of the Spaniard's game as well as his on and off-court personality that are slowly coming out in public, with one of them being his superstitions.
Unlike Rafael Nadal's much talked about traditions of lining up his bottles and elaborate pre-serve routine, Petra Kvitova's love loss for her headband, Alacaraz's superstitions are more understated. That's not to say that he does not follow any.
In a recent interview with Marca magazine, Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged practicing a few superstitions. Without going into too many details, the Spaniard said if a routine works well for him at the beginning of a particular week, he tends to repeat it before every match even if it is "nonsense".
"I try to repeat the things that are going well even if they are nonsense," Alcaraz said. "If at the beginning of the week I do one thing and win the first game, I try to do the same."
Speaking about one of his quirky routines, Alcaraz said he and his team often sing "Eye of the Tiger" before leaving for the club as a motivational exercise.
"Normally we sing it in the car, when we go from the hotel to the club," he continued. "I also sometimes wear it when I'm doing mobility exercises at the gym. In Barcelona I didn't wear it because we were close to the tournament and I didn't even have time."
"I have little free time" - Carlos Alcaraz on picking up hobbies away from tennis
In the same interview, Carlos Alcaraz also spoke about his hobbies away from tennis. While conceding that he does not have a lot of free time given the sport's demanding schedule, the youngster said he enjoys unwinding with a game of golf.
"Golf," he said. "I have little free time and what I do have I take advantage of to play golf. It is the only sport that I practice apart from tennis."
Alcaraz also joked about being very particular about his sleep schedule, saying he ensures a nap a couple of hours prior to his matches.
"If I play at four, I take a nap at two," he joked. I keep doing it. I adapt the nap to any schedule."