Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about how he manages to stay sharp and competitive in the sweltering summer heat at the Cincinnati Open. The World No. 2 said his focus is not just on surviving the conditions but also on recognizing that his opponent is fighting the same battle and using that knowledge to control the flow of play.
What Mental Edge Helps Carlos Alcaraz Thrive in Cincinnati’s Sweltering Conditions?
This year’s Cincinnati Open has been a grueling test for players and fans, with temperatures reaching 88 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity hovering at stifling levels. For Alcaraz, it marked his fifth appearance at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
After earning a first-round bye, he faced Bosnia’s Damir Džumhur, eventually winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. He followed that with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Hamad Medjedovic, securing his place in the Round of 16.
UN MURO DE APELLIDO ALCARAZ. 🧱💥
Carlitos llega con todo a Cincinnati. #LaPistaDelTenis @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/aY6aHg3aE4
— Tenis en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarTenis) August 10, 2025
Speaking to Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj after his third-round win, Alcaraz shared the mental strategies that help him push through. “Sometimes we just focus on ourselves. We just think that we’re struggling a lot with the heat, with the sun. We’re just feeling bad, and sometimes we forget about the opponent,” Alcaraz said.
“The opponent is struggling as well, or even much more than you do. So I’m trying to think about the opponent as well and trying to make it a really tough battle.”
Growing up in Murcia, Spain, where summer temperatures regularly soar, has prepared him for moments like these. “I just tell myself, ‘Okay, you have to get used to it,’ or ‘you are used to it,’ and try not to let the sun affect my game or affect me,” he said.
The Spaniard explained that he tailors his tactics based on his opponent’s condition, shortening points when he feels the heat is draining him, but extending rallies when he notices the other side is flagging. “It just depends, and I’m trying not to think about the sun and just play my game,” he added.
The heat has been a major storyline all week. Felix Auger-Aliassime likened the on-court conditions to “an oven” and warned that the combined effects of heat and humidity were draining energy from both players and spectators. In one of the tournament’s more alarming moments, his third-round opponent, Arthur Rinderknech, collapsed mid-match and was forced to retire.
Daniil Medvedev resorted to dunking his head inside an ice cooler during changeovers, while Elena Rybakina, Jannik Sinner, and Alcaraz himself were seen applying ice towels and pouring water over their heads in attempts to stay cool.
Alcaraz advanced to the fourth round, where he will face lucky loser Luca Nardi in a rematch of their Qatar Open second-round clash from earlier this year. The winner of this match will face either ninth seed Andrey Rublev or Francisco Comesana in the quarterfinals.
