He won’t be competing at the Caja Magica this year, and it shows. Even so, Carlos Alcaraz wanted to be there. He stopped by the tournament, visited his Foundation’s exhibition, and left in his wake a conversation on Iguales, the official Mutua Madrid Open podcast, which provides a good picture of the player he is today; more mature, more in control, but equally connected to what matters most.

Carlos Alcaraz wore his familiar, friendly smile, but it was clear he would have loved to have been fielding the usual, mundane questions about his tennis game: “Not being able to play here in Madrid, well, the feelings are a little different. I’m OK, but things could definitely be better”.

In that context, as the chat with Gravesen drifts away from the noise of the tour, Murcia comes up in conversation, as it often will when the world No. 2 is around. While Madrid today represents the pain of not being able to compete, Murcia remains his refuge, a place to return to when the schedule is packed and travel is relentless. Alcaraz explains that the first thing he misses when he’s away is “sleeping in my own bed”. The second is “a good marinera” (a typical Murcian snack). However, the real reason he loves to return home, rather than his own bed or his favourite treat, runs much deeper: “When I go back to Murcia, it’s like I become the child I used to be. In a way, I forget I’m a tennis player and just go back to being the person I’ve always been”.

That is surely one of the keys to Alcaraz in 2026, and, truth be told, it’s always been the case; the need to return to simpler things in order not to lose his way. “Doing the simplest things in the world with my mates is what relaxes me, what keeps me grounded”, says the El Palmar native.

This back-to-basics attitude ties in nicely with the other big idea he shared on Iguales; his psychological progress. When Gravesen asks him what’s changed between 2023 and 2026, Carlitos looks inward: “I had a lot of ups and downs that we had to learn a lot from. Before, the pressure and nerves used to get to me. Now, I take it all much more in my stride, much more calmly, enjoying myself on court”.

Of course, there was also plenty of talk about golf. Because even when the conversation moves away from tennis, Alcaraz still finds a way to bring it back to competition. He enjoys the surroundings, the nature, the tranquillity, the fact that no one bothers him, but above all, he’s hooked on another aspect of the game: “The main thing is it’s you against yourself.”

Perhaps that’s why tennis players are frequently fans of the game of golf. It’s an intimate battle with oneself. “As you see yourself improving, you get more and more hooked”, he said. In fact, when he was asked about a target for 2026 away from the court, he didn’t hesitate: “I’ve set myself a personal goal for the end of the year, which is to try to reach a handicap of 5 in golf. Right now, I’m about 12”, it’s an ambitious target, but Carlitos likes a challenge, even when he’s not on a tennis court.

That line of questioning led to one of the most entertaining moments of the chat; his friendly rivalry with Andy Murray. Here, a more competitive and cheeky side of Alcaraz appeared: “I’ve got to be honest here. If we played one-on-one, he’d thrash me, give me a drubbing, but that’s my second medium-term goal. When I’m a five handicap, I’ll beat him”, he concluded with a laugh.

Ultimately, even that little battle on the golf course fits perfectly with the portrait of the seven-time Grand Slam winner. The champion who today can’t play the tournament and is feeling it, the kid who needs to return to Murcia to find himself, the player who now understands pressure, and the competitor who, even when he switches off, still sets himself a new goal…