Alcaraz says he prefers Olympic gold over Roland Garros title

Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete for both the Olympic tennis title and the French Open crown at Roland Garros this year. While expressing his ambition to win both championships, the Spanish tennis player acknowledged that if compelled to choose, he would prioritize securing the gold at the Paris Olympic Games.

Scheduled in July, the Olympic tennis tournament will unfold a month after the French Open on the same claycourts in the French capital. Alcaraz shared his perspective with reporters in Buenos Aires, where he is defending his title this week, stating, “For me, it’s a dream to bring a medal to my country, and winning gold is one of the greatest things that can happen to you in the world of sport. This year, if you gave me a choice, I’d say that I will keep the Olympic gold, although I would like to win both. I’m not going to lie.”

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Alcaraz kicks off his US Open campaign with a win

Despite securing victories at the U.S. Open in 2022 and Wimbledon last year, Alcaraz fell short in his quest for a Grand Slam title last month, exiting the Australian Open quarter-finals against Alexander Zverev, the Olympic gold medalist in Tokyo.

While acknowledging Zverev’s dominance in their head-to-head matchups (5-3), Alcaraz highlighted world number one Novak Djokovic and Melbourne Park champion Jannik Sinner as the primary competitors to beat. “I think Djokovic and Sinner are the rivals to beat, there is no doubt, both for me and for everyone,” remarked Alcaraz, currently ranked second in the world. He acknowledged Zverev as a formidable opponent but emphasized Djokovic and Sinner’s status at the pinnacle of the competition.