World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz stated after his victory in Monte Carlo that he is no longer focused on rankings.
– How important is it for you to become the second-ranked player again? There is a high probability that you and Jannik will be the top two seeds at Roland Garros. Do you think tennis and the fans need a major final between you and Jannik?
– Over the past couple of months, I realized that you shouldn`t think about anything other than enjoying yourself on the court.
I realized that I just have to enjoy it. So, I`m not thinking about the ranking anymore. I`m just continuing to do what I like, what makes me happy. That`s going out on the court, showing good tennis – and that`s it.
If I win – great, if I don`t win – I will learn and just keep doing what brings me joy. So, the ranking is no longer a priority – we`ll see what happens in the next month before Roland Garros.
Probably people want me and Jannik to be in the final. So, we`ll see.
– The trophy suits you. This is the best start to the European clay season for you. Tell us how you plan to deal with the expectations before Madrid, Rome, Roland Garros, maintain concentration, and not listen to those who expect a lot from you now?
– Yes, as I said, I am sure there will be difficult months ahead, because, as you mentioned, many have high hopes for me, they expect a great clay season. Maybe they want me to win almost every tournament, so dealing with this will not be easy.
But over the last month, I realized that I have to think about myself. About myself and my people – my team, family, friends, close friends. No matter what happens on the court, whether I win or lose, I have to leave the court happy. I am proud of everything I have done. This is what I have learned, and it seems that this week I did just that – and it paid off.
In the next couple of months of the clay season, I will try to continue in the same spirit as I approached this tournament, and not think about what they say about expectations. I will only listen to my loved ones and my team, to what they tell me – this is the only thing that matters to me. I will try to approach the clay season exactly like this.
– I know that you don`t like to be compared to Rafa, but 20 years ago he won the first of his 11 titles here. We know that it is very difficult to win here due to the transition from one surface to another, but would you like to win this tournament several times?
– I would like to win it more than once. 11 times… it`s impossible to think about (smiles). My team and I have talked several times about what Rafa has achieved on clay. His records on this surface are something greatest not only in tennis, but in all sports. Winning the same tournament 11 or 14 times… it`s impossible to repeat.
I just won my first one. Of course, I want to continue in the same spirit, we`ll see how many I can win. If I am limited to just one, I will be more than happy. If I don`t win more, it`s okay, but I will try to win. I`m only 21, we`ll see how it goes. Hopefully, everything will be fine, and I will play here for another 10-15 years. Let`s see if I can win at least one more trophy (smiles). For now, I just want to enjoy this moment, – Alcaraz said at the press conference.
Marcus Blakely 
Gilbert Pendleton