{"id":552707,"date":"2026-03-20T11:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/552707\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T11:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:38:15","slug":"carlos-alcaraz-focused-on-being-one-step-ahead-during-miami-title-bid-atp-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/552707\/","title":{"rendered":"Carlos Alcaraz focused on being ‘one step ahead’ during Miami title bid | ATP Tour"},"content":{"rendered":"

Miami
\n Alcaraz focused on being ‘one step ahead’ during Miami title bid<\/p>\n

World No. 1 compares the trend of players raising their level against him to ‘chess’<\/p>\n

March 20, 2026<\/p>\n

\"Carlos<\/p>\n

ATP Tour<\/p>\n

Carlos Alcaraz is 16-1 on the season.
\n By Jerome Coombe<\/p>\n

With the start to the season that Carlos Alcaraz<\/a> has put together, it\u2019s easy to see why opponents are turning to a more ultra-aggressive approach against him.<\/p>\n

The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings opened 2026 with 16 consecutive wins before Daniil Medvedev<\/a> halted that streak with a composed baseline display in the Indian Wells semi-finals last week. That match reflected a growing pattern: players raising their level \u2014 and intensity \u2014 in an effort to unsettle the Spaniard.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I am just trying to take it as a compliment [when] players try to play their best, more aggressively if they want to beat me,\u201d Alcaraz told ATP Media in a pre-tournament interview in Miami. \u201cI think it’s a great thing to know and obviously I am just really happy that they are taking us [as] players to try to beat, and we are trying to make them improve as a player as well. So for me, that’s great.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut sometimes when I step on the court and see the opponent playing that level, it\u2019s not that funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alcaraz now turns his attention to the Miami Open presented by Itau<\/a>, aiming to rebound from his semi-final loss in Indian Wells. The top seed, however, can expect more of the same high-powered shotmaking from across the net early in his title bid.<\/p>\n

In his opening match, Alcaraz will face #NextGenATP standout Joao Fonseca<\/a>, who pushed World No. 2 Jannik Sinner<\/a> to two tie-breaks in Indian Wells. The 19-year-old will no doubt bring his fearless, attacking style into their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, but Alcaraz is focused on staying ahead of that aggression.<\/p>\n

Get your popcorn ready, @andy_murray<\/a> \ud83e\udd29@MiamiOpen<\/a> | #MiamiOpen<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/je5lURjiuQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ATP Tour (@atptour) March 19, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cI’m trying to be one step forward. Trying to see what their next move is going to be before they make it,\u201d Alcaraz said. \u201cIt\u2019s like chess in a way. [I\u2019m] trying to be there a little bit earlier or trying to think what’s going to happen next. Then I can think about my move.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m trying that or just trying to be more aggressive than them or trying not to let them be in a good spot all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alcaraz won his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami in 2022 and holds a 13-4 record at the event, according to the Infosys ATP Win\/Loss Index. Last year, he suffered an opening-round defeat to David Goffin<\/a>, but quickly rebounded with a dominant 22-1 run through the clay season.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n