Coach: Alcaraz Aims to Play Complete Clay Calendar
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, April 3, 2026
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Carlos Alcaraz cleaned up on clay last season.
The world No. 1 aims to play a complete clay calendar this spring and aspires to defend his championships in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros, Alcaraz’s coach, Samuel Lopez, said. In a new interview with Eurosport Espana, Lopez said the Australian Open champion is all in for dirt season.
”Let’s see. In principle, we’re going with the idea of playing everything, of playing the whole swing, you know,” Lopez told Eurosport Espana.
A year ago, Alcaraz defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte-Carlo final, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0. That Monte-Carlo title run ignited a surge that saw Alcaraz post a 22-1 clay-court record capped by his pulsating comeback in the French Open final when he saved championship points to out-duel rival Jannik Sinner and retain Roland Garros.
Last month, Alcaraz was upset by Sebastian Korda in the Miami Open third round. Coach Lopez said the early loss in Miami sealed Alcaraz’s decision to play Monte-Carlo as his primary preparation for the entire arduous clay campaign.
”Monte Carlo – if things had gone well, if things had gone better in Miami – we would probably have skipped it,” Samuel Lopez told Eurosport Espana. ”But in this case, well, Monte Carlo is going to be more of a preparation tournament.
”The thing is, you already know that sometimes those preparation tournaments… you get up to speed very quickly. But for us, Monte Carlo is more like last year.
”What happens is that last year things worked out and in the end it was won. But in the end, going to the first clay tournament and winning it, well, for almost everyone it’s the first clay tournament, so almost everyone is in the same condition.
”The idea is to try to manage it and arrive as well as possible at Roland-Garros, at 100%. We’ll see what happens along the way.”
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