Carlos Alcaraz is prepared to serve up a storm at the China Open! Alcaraz is back in action in Beijing after finishing his Laver Cup duties and pushing Team Europe to victory. After his heartbreak at the Paris Olympics, followed by an early-round defeat at the US Open, the Spanish star is now striving to regain his form in Beijing. But even before he fulfills his goal, Alcaraz is determined to master a linguistic challenge!

Last year, Jannik Sinner halted Carlos Alcaraz’s impressive run in the China Open semifinals, defeating the Spaniard in straight sets (6-7, 1-6). However, this time, Alcaraz is ready to show his usual magic on court and face World No. 51, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, for the first time in the first round of the China Open. But amid his preparations, he intends to take a detour and enjoy his stay in Beijing while learning to speak Mandarin! During an interview with a Chinese reporter, Carlos Alcaraz showed his enthusiasm and eagerness to learn Mandarin, with the reporter herself becoming his teacher.

He enthusiastically tried to say “I love you Beijing” in Mandarin (Wǒ ài nǐ běijīng). With each attempt, he improved it, captivating his fans. And finally, when the reporter said, “That’s good,” a smile spread across Alcaraz’s face as he excitedly repeated the phrase again in Mandarin, this time aimed at his fans. That’s not all! In the next part of the clip, Carlos Alcaraz tried to speak Mandarin again, holding a soft toy in his hand and standing in a parking lot.

This time, the 21-year-old player, who was wearing a full blue attire, carefully said, “I love China Open, here I come, Beijing,” in Mandarin (Wǒ ài zhōngguó zài zhèlǐ kāifàng wǒ lái běijīng). Alcaraz’s unwavering determination and lively spirit ahead of the China Open are in complete contrast to his disheartening feelings last year after his defeat, where he admitted he had tried to play “deeper” on-court but failed.

The then 20-year-old seemed quite frustrated during his press conference after that match and took a vow to improve his tactics against Sinner and added, “I was complaining too much, something that really makes it difficult for you to play at your best level, that’s what it means to be angry with yourself. This is what happened.” However, this year, Alcaraz seems ready not only with his technical skills but with some Mandarin skills too! Perhaps this is one way he finds fun and “motivation” to keep playing amid the intense tennis schedule, as he revealed his take on the matter earlier.

Carlos Alcaraz opens up on the lack of “motivation” he feels sometimes

After the Olympic Games, Carlos Alcaraz took a break before coming to the US Open but admitted that it was not “enough” for him to feel energetic on the court. The result was a second-round loss in New York. Moreover, even after his participation in his 14th tennis event of the year, the Laver Cup, Alcaraz confessed to finding it hard to keep himself motivated amid the “tight” schedule. “Sometimes I don’t feel motivated at all. But as I’ve said many, many times, I play my best tennis when I smile and enjoy it on court. That’s the best option to keep motivating (myself).”

Carlos Alcaraz has played over 50 singles matches this year and has won two Grand Slams during this period. However, after his Wimbledon victory and Olympic final run, Alcaraz has struggled to get past the initial rounds of any tennis tournament. Now, as the season nears its end, he is striving to step onto the China Open with a new sense of vigor and enthusiasm. Hopefully, much like his Mandarin skills, he will be able to impress his fans with his gameplay as well!