Carlos Alcaraz says ‘there is always room for improvement’, despite his unbeaten run in 2026, after having lifted the title at the Qatar Open, sending a warning to his rivals.
The Spaniard put on a 6-2, 6-1 dominant display in the quickest match of his professional career (50 minutes) against Frenchman Arthur Fils to lift the title in Doha.
Overall, the world No 1 extended his winning streak to 12 matches, as well as reaching 30 consecutive match wins on outdoor hard courts.
The victory also grows his rankings lead over Jannik Sinner to 3150 points and his overall singles title haul to 26.
However, after the victory, Alcaraz made clear that success is defined by more than trophy lifts, and, instead, is better founded upon his overall level and on-court feelings.
“For me, success is much more than lifting trophies,” he analysed during his post-match press conference.
“To me, success is how you see yourself and how you feel. I am proud, and I already feel successful because I learn in every match.
“On and off the court, I am learning from everything, from every experience in my life. I am a completely different person, even in playing, than I was in 2022 when I first became No 1 and won my first Grand Slam.
“Seeing myself grow as a person and as a player, seeing myself mature and enjoying where I am, that’s true success for me.
“That’s why I’m very proud of myself and why I enjoy every step I take as a tennis player. That’s how I define success, so far, in my career.”
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Over the last 24 months, Alcaraz has won five Grand Slams, four Masters 1000s, in addition to four ATP 500 titles.
At the most recent edition of the Australian Open, he became the youngest male singles player to win all four Grand Slams – at 22 years and 272 days.
However, in an ominous warning to the rest of the field, the Spaniard was steadfast in his belief that he could improve further and extend his undefeated start to the season.
“There is always room for improvement,” the world No 1 said.
“I still see myself with weaknesses. I try to get better in training, be better in matches.
“I set some goals for this tournament and executed them perfectly, happy and content with it. Improvement must continue, moving in the right direction.
“I want to carry on this 12-0 streak.”
Alcaraz’s next scheduled events are the Indian Wells Masters, where he is a two-time champion (2023 and 2024), and the Miami Open (champion in 2022).
From the ‘sunshine double’ until the French Open, the Spaniard will seek to defend his 4740 ranking points – significantly more than world No 2 Sinner’s 1950.
“I try not to think about anything other than myself when I step onto the court,” he responded when asked about the pressure of expectation.
“Right now, I feel that I love playing tennis, that I love competing. I enjoy every time I go out on the court. Sometimes we don’t stop to think about everything that happens to us.
“When you are out of competition, and I have been injured, you realise how beautiful all this is. You enjoy the beauty of this sport and how lucky you are to go out on the court.
“That’s why, right now, I always have a good time every time I go out to play, that’s why you see me happy, even if I lose a point or a match.
“Concerning objectives, obviously, my goals are to win the biggest tournaments on the planet, the Masters 1000, and the Grand Slams.
“Next up is Roland Garros, a tournament with incredible memories and experiences. I am eager to play there again. Before that, there are many special tournaments I want to prepare for well.”
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