MONTE CARLO: Carlos Alcaraz said on Sunday it “feels amazing” to be back on clay and that he is aiming to play in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Rome before his Roland Garros title defence.

The world number one, who gets his bid for a second straight Monte Carlo Masters title under way next week, has never played a complete European clay-court season.

He also won the Italian Open last year, with his only defeat on clay in 2025 coming against Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final.

“I miss clay every time that the clay season is over. I just miss it,” Alcaraz told reporters in Monaco.

“It’s been [a] long [time] since Roland Garros that I just haven’t touched clay.

“The first practices that I got, I just said to my team, ‘It’s time to get to the dirty socks again’. It feels amazing to be back on clay.”

Alcaraz won the Monte Carlo title on only his second appearance at the tournament 12 months ago, but skipped the Madrid Open.

Last year was also only the second time he had played in Rome, but this campaign he is hoping to play a full schedule.

“That’s my idea,” said the Spaniard. “Obviously the clay season is really — it’s too demanding, physically, mentally.

“But obviously I would say the week of Barcelona should be the week that I have to take off.

“But Barcelona is a really important tournament for me.

“A special feeling that I just used to play [there] when I was under 14. A lot of friends there, playing at home, it’s always great.

“So let’s see how it’s going to be, the body and mentally,” he added.

Alcaraz will face either Stan Wawrinka or Sebastian Baez in his opening match in the second round in the principality, having received a first-round bye as the top seed.

He practised with three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka on Saturday and hopes to face him for the first time before the Swiss retires at the end of the year.

“It’s incredible to see him around, still having him around. I will try to enjoy as much as I can his matches, the matches he plays until the end of the year,” Alcaraz said.

“But hopefully I play against him at least once and say that I just played a match against a legend like Stan.”

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2026