Carlos Alcaraz returned to action after his shock US Open defeat and there were worrying signs for the French Open and Wimbledon champion.
Alcaraz took to the court for singles and doubles action as Spain made a winning start in the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage against an injury-blighted Czechia.
Czechia’s Tomas Machac took the first set from Alcaraz in front of a stunned crowd in Valencia, with the win in that match eventually gifted to the Spanish star after his opponent withdrew due to injury after he conceeded the second set.
He then won a doubles match alongside Marcel Granollers to seal a 3-0 win for Spain in the tie as they look to qualify for the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November.
“Pretty busy day,” Alcaraz told the Davis Cup website. “I’m first of all really happy with playing a good match in singles and a pretty good match in doubles. I’m a little bit tired, I’m not going to lie. [Machac] is a dangerous player.
“I started a bit nervous. I had a few opportunities, I didn’t take them but I was strong mentally and kept fighting. I tried to keep calm, and positive in the difficult first set. Then to keep on the pressure and I think for that reason he might have felt physical problems.”
These were Alcaraz’s first matches since his shock second-round exit at the US Open: “I tried to take the positive things about my losses in the United States, it has been really tough to find, but I found it,” he said.
“Trying to not make the same mistakes about my level and in the mental side here. Trying to be a little bit more mature, to improve a little bit.
“I’m here with a lot of energy, excited and have motivation to keep going here, to try to be the best No.1 possible for Team Spain and get as many wins as I can as a team.”
Being part of a supportive Spanish team may be just what Alcaraz needs right now, with mental and physical fatigue a factor after such a hectic few weeks.
His workload will not slow, however, as he has an appearance in the Laver Cup on his horizon later this month, before playing matches in Asia.
Many have suggested Alcaraz should take more time away from the court after he admitted he was jaded following his US Open exit.
“It was a fight against myself, in my mind during the match,” he said after losing against Botic van De Zandschulp at the US Open.
“In tennis, you are playing against someone that wants the same as you, to win the match, and you have to be as calm as you can just to think better in the match and try to do good things.
“Today I was playing against the opponent, and I was playing against myself. I mean, I had a lot of emotions that I couldn’t control.
“The tennis schedule is so tight. I’ve been playing a lot of matches lately, you know, with Roland Garros, with Wimbledon, Olympic Games.
“I took a little break after the Olympic Games. I thought it was enough. It was really helpful for me. Probably it wasn’t enough.”
The break Alacaraz may need does not appear to be imminent in a tennis calendar loaded with demands he may feel obliged to fulfil.
The danger must be that Alcaraz damages his long-term ambitions in tennis in the hunt for short-term gain.
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