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Carlos Alcaraz has already cemented his stature as one of the flashiest players on the men's tennis tour and it is no accident. By his own admission, the teenager tries to play a special brand of 'happy' tennis, producing rare and beautiful shots that showcase his love for the game.
Writing for Eurosport as part of the Players' Voice column, Alcaraz spoke about what makes him tick, remarking that he did not think about being a potential sports icon or role model for youngsters. Instead, self-improvement was the only thing on his mind, as the Spaniard tried to project his own identity every step of the way.
Seeing as he was a "happy" person off the court, that was exactly how Alcaraz wanted his tennis to make others feel when they watched him in action.
"I try not to think about whether I'm a sports icon or a role model for young people. I just want to keep trying to improve. In the end, I love playing tennis, and obviously, I love to win as I'm a very competitive guy," Alcaraz said. "I have my own identity playing. I always try to play ‘happy’ tennis. I consider myself a happy person off the court, so I try to play that way."
The World No. 1 further opined that the sport has become far more dynamic -- a style of tennis he personally prefers. Not one for monotony, Carlos Alcaraz was proud of his knack for going for the audacious more often than not.
"I think that nowadays, tennis is very dynamic: going up to the net, drop shots, big shots; that's what attracts attention. I try to enjoy myself on the court and to not make everything too monotonous. I try to create, and produce rare, beautiful shots," Carlos Alcaraz said.
"At the end of my career, I would like to be remembered as a good person" - Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz further added that he would like to be remembered as a "good person" at the end of his career -- a reflection on the way he played tennis with sheer joy.
While it is not his main intention, the reigning US Open champion is not one to turn down the idea of being a role model for kids either, noting that he would love to pass down his good values to the next generation.
"At the end of my career, I would like to be remembered as a good person, a normal, natural and happy person. Playing on instinct and joy are two tenants of my game. If I don't play on instinct and if I don't play with joy, my tennis is not the same. I think life is better that way. That's the most important thing of all."
"Of course, being someone that young kids look up to is a big hope for me. I try to pass on good values both on and off the court. I also had my idols, and to potentially be one of those for the new generation would be wonderful," Carlos Alcaraz said.
