Miami
Alcaraz focused on being ‘one step ahead’ during Miami title bid
World No. 1 compares the trend of players raising their level against him to ‘chess’
March 20, 2026
ATP Tour
Carlos Alcaraz is 16-1 on the season.
By Jerome Coombe
With the start to the season that Carlos Alcaraz has put together, it’s easy to see why opponents are turning to a more ultra-aggressive approach against him.
The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings opened 2026 with 16 consecutive wins before Daniil Medvedev 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 — and intensity — in an effort to unsettle the Spaniard.
“I 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,” Alcaraz told ATP Media in a pre-tournament interview in Miami. “I 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.
“But sometimes when I step on the court and see the opponent playing that level, it’s not that funny.”
Alcaraz now turns his attention to the Miami Open presented by Itau, 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.
In his opening match, Alcaraz will face #NextGenATP standout Joao Fonseca, who pushed World No. 2 Jannik Sinner 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.
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“I’m trying to be one step forward. Trying to see what their next move is going to be before they make it,” Alcaraz said. “It’s like chess in a way. [I’m] 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.
“I’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.”
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, but quickly rebounded with a dominant 22-1 run through the clay season.