Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he wishes he'd served better during his Wimbledon final defeat to Jannik Sinner on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Spaniard won the first set but ended up slipping to defeat, with Sinner triumphing via a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 scoreline on Centre Court.
Alcaraz had an overall first serve percentage of just 53 during the clash and only won 51 per cent of his second service points.
Now, speaking in a press conference after the match, the youngster has admitted he was disappointed that his serve let him down.
Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he wishes he'd served better during his Wimbledon final defeat to Jannik Sinner on Sunday
PA
“Today was complicated a little bit,” he said.
“You know, low percentage of first serve. Then I played against one of the best returner on tour, without a doubt.
“It was a weapon that I wish it could be better, but today it was… I mean, with the nerves and everything, it was difficult to serve better. I just have to improve that.”
Alcaraz has also insisted that he didn't struggle physically, despite fading after a strong start.
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“I didn’t feel down physically at all during the match. It was all about, you know, he was pushing me to the limit in every point," he continued.
“So, mentally, sometimes it’s really tough to maintain the good focus or the good level during the whole match when you see the opponent just playing such great tennis.
“At some points, I didn’t know what I had to do in the match because from the baseline I was feeling he was better than me, and I couldn’t do anything about it.
Jannik Sinner was too strong for Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's Wimbledon finalPA“I think the big key was about the second serve. He was returning really well there the second serve that I was hitting. Thanks to that, he was in a position to attack on the second ball every time.
“So it was really difficult when you are feeling that you just defending all the time and running from side to side all the time.”
Alcaraz was then asked whether he'd consider taking some time off from tennis.
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Last year, after losing to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Paris Olympics, he suffered an early exit from the US Open.
Alcaraz, however, has no plans for a hiatus. He said: “Well, I think it’s different. It’s a different feeling, to be honest. Yeah, last year in the Olympics I was really bad emotionally after the match. It was really, really hard for me to accept that moment.
“Right now, I think in the last year I’ve been through different situations that I learned from them. Right now, I’m in a position where I’ve spoken a few times already that, okay, I just accept everything that is coming to me in the way it comes.
Carlos Alcaraz has no plans to take a break from tennis despite his defeat in the Wimbledon final
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“Like, okay, I just lost a final in a Grand Slam, but I just really proud about being in a final. I just want to keep the good moments and trying to forget the bad moments
“I just want to think, okay, I just played a final in a Grand Slam, and trying to forget that I lost it. It’s just that I was able to play in it, and I just want to accept it.
“So right now I’m just, as I said, I’m not bad at all. I’m just happy. I’m smiling because in my head it was about playing the final and being grateful for that.”