omnisport-MyKhel Team

Carlos Alcaraz believes his ability to “control my emotions even better” has been the key to his impressive start to the 2026 season.

The Spaniard has a perfect 12-0 record so far this year, completing a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open before also winning the Qatar Open last month.

His next goal will be to reclaim his Indian Wells title, having previously won the competition in 2023 and 2024.

Since the event’s inauguration in 1976, Alcaraz (87.0%, 20-3) holds the best win rate of any player in the men’s singles at Indian Wells – minimum 10 matches.

And since the start of 2024, Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner have claimed the title in 20 of the 21 ATP-level events they have both appeared in, with the Madrid Open in 2024 (Andrey Rublev) being the only exception.

Alcaraz lost his final competitive match of 2025, losing to Sinner in the ATP Finals showpiece, but the 22-year-old feels he is now much more in control of his emotions.

“I just [am] really proud about my start of the year,” said Alcaraz, who will face either Terence Atmane or Grigor Dimitrov in his opening match at Indian Wells.

“Hopefully the winning streak continues, or I would try that, but I’m just happy to see myself playing great tennis.

“I think on the court, I control my emotions even better. I would say that was the key of the good level of tennis that I have been playing lately.

“Because on the court, I just control myself, and in a calm place, I can find the solutions.

“When I was getting mad or when I was playing bad or whatever, I just found the right way again, because I was calm.

“I was controlling myself and controlling my emotions, and I was maintaining my good focus. I would say I was doing that even better than before.”

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