“Carlos Alcaraz advised to avoid the spotlight to regain motivation.”

After a surprising and premature exit from the Miami Open, young Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked number one in the world, received valuable advice on how to regain his motivation. Legendary Italian tennis player Paolo Bertolucci made a clear appeal: “Stay out of the spotlight for a while.” This advice comes at a critical moment for Alcaraz, who began the 2026 season with an impressive record of 17 consecutive victories, winning a Grand Slam in Australia and the Qatar Open title.

Alcaraz appeared unstoppable until he was defeated in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Open by Russian Daniil Medvedev, who handed him a straight-sets loss. However, the Spanish player seemed to have regained his form by defeating João Fonseca in Miami with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Nevertheless, things fell apart against Sebastian Korda in the third round. After a disastrous first set, where he expressed a desire to “go home,” Alcaraz ultimately lost the match with a score of 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, despite managing to level the match in the second set.

During the press conferences at the Miami Open, Alcaraz echoed a sentiment that many elite athletes experience: opponents seem to elevate their level of play when facing the world number one. Bertolucci, a former world number 12, addressed this issue in his column for La Gazzetta dello Sport, stating: “Carlos sometimes gets disoriented by the high standard his opponent maintains throughout the match, but he must realize that this is the burden that the best players have to bear.”

The renowned Italian tennis player also emphasized the importance of Alcaraz adopting a humble attitude and accepting that things will not always go his way simply because of his reputation. “With this victory, a player like Korda establishes himself for the entire year; he can say he defeated the world number one,” Bertolucci added.

Alcaraz, who is now preparing to compete in the Monte Carlo Masters starting April 6, should consider Bertolucci’s suggestion to step back a bit from the media and the spotlight. “At this moment, Alcaraz needs to recharge his energies, stepping away from the limelight to rediscover his motivation,” Bertolucci commented. He believes that, despite the defeat, the season is just beginning and that Alcaraz has all the tools to recover quickly. “There’s no need to jump to hasty conclusions,” he stated.

Bertolucci also made a comparison with compatriot Jannik Sinner, who also faced difficult losses but managed to bounce back. “The same will happen with Alcaraz, who is still only 22 years old and not fully developed. Not everyone has the mental fortitude of players like Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal; there are many talents who, unfortunately, lack that specific quality.”

In this context, there are high expectations regarding how Alcaraz will react to this challenging phase of his career. All eyes will be on the young tennis player at the next tournament, where he will have the opportunity to prove that, even in tough times, he is capable of shining again on the courts.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.