Russian tennis professional Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has revealed that she initially had a negative impression of Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz during a recent podcast appearance.
The former world No 13 shared her candid thoughts whilst speaking on 'Box podcast during her off-season break.
Pavlyuchenkova admitted she found the young Spaniard's constant cheerful demeanour somewhat off-putting at first.
His perpetual smiling struck her as potentially disingenuous, leading her to question the authenticity of his upbeat courtside manner.
The Russian player, whose 2025 campaign concluded following a second-round defeat to Victoria Azarenka at the US Open, expressed bewilderment at Alcaraz's relentlessly positive attitude during matches.
"After that I really took a liking to Alcaraz because somehow, well I don't really know, I didn't really like his manner, because it seemed to me that he had a bit of a pretence, he smiles all the time. I think, 'How is that possible?'," Pavlyuchenkova explained during the interview.
The 33-year-old drew comparisons with her own emotional approach to matches, adding: "Well, I compare myself, I have just drama there all the time when I play. I think, 'How is it possible?', he smiles at his team all the time it's too much."
Despite her initial scepticism, Pavlyuchenkova acknowledged that her opinion of the world No 2 eventually shifted favourably.
Carlos Alcaraz continues his preparations for the season-ending ATP Finals
|REUTERS
The Spanish star's most recent competitive outing ended in an unexpected early exit at the Paris Masters.
He suffered a second-round defeat against Britain's Cameron Norrie, marking a surprising setback for the tournament favourite.
Following the loss, Alcaraz offered a frank assessment of his display.
During his post-match conference, he said: "I had a lot of practice here, which I was feeling great, feeling amazing, moving on the court, hitting the ball. But today, even in the first set, that I won, I just felt like I could do much more than what I did."
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Pavlyuchenkova admitted she found the young Spaniard's constant cheerful demeanour somewhat off-putting at first
|PA
The 22-year-old acknowledged his subpar performance without making excuses.
Alcaraz said: "I didn't feel well today. A lot of mistakes... I had no feeling at all. I'm really disappointed about my level today, and it is what it is. I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn't let me stay or come back to the match."
Pavlyuchenkova's tennis year came to a close when she was eliminated from the US Open in August, falling to Victoria Azarenka in the second round.
The Russian is currently enjoying her off-season period whilst discussing various tennis topics on the podcast circuit.
Carlos Alcaraz expressed concerns about the demanding nature of the professional tennis calendar
|REUTERS
Meanwhile, Alcaraz continues his preparations for the season-ending ATP Finals, following his disappointment in Paris.
The Spaniard has also expressed concerns about the demanding nature of the professional tennis calendar.
He highlighted that competitors lack adequate preparation time between events due to the packed tournament schedule.