Warning Signs: Ahead of Carlos Alcaraz Queen's clash, Jaume Munar reflects on early battle

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Warning Signs: Ahead of Alcaraz Queen's clash, Munar reflects on early battle

Spaniard faces Alcaraz in London on Thursday

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images Jaume Munar trails Carlos Alcaraz 1-2 in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series. By Sam Jacot

Before the world knew Carlos Alcaraz as a Grand Slam champion and one of the sport’s biggest stars, Jaume Munar had a front-row view to his early promise.

“I remember playing him in Marbella,” Munar told ATPTour.com ahead of his second-round clash against Alcaraz at the HSBC Championships “He was a young kid, playing fast and easy. Back then, he couldn’t always manage the moment and made a few more mistakes. But you could already see how talented he was, with so much power in every shot.”

That meeting came in April 2021, when a then-17-year-old Alcaraz was making his first significant strides on the ATP Tour. Munar won the match in straight sets at the clay-court ATP 250, but even in victory, he walked away impressed.

“I just remember the power that came from his shots. Just the aggressive play, the lack of time, the movement. I won the match but I knew he would come to the top,” Munar reflected.

On Thursday, the pair meets for the fourth time (2-1 Alcaraz) in the second round in London but Alcaraz is a different proposition to the one four years ago. Now a five-time major champion and at No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings, the Spaniard, alongside Jannik Sinner, is the leading man in men’s tennis.

Munar is proud of his countryman’s rise and believes his down-to-earth demeanour has been important to his success.

“I have a good relationship with Carlos,” Munar said. “I’m about six or seven years older than him, so we didn’t spend much time together when we were younger. But since he joined the tour, we’ve had a very good connection.

“He’s an extremely nice guy. Down to earth, a fantastic person. Not just a great tennis player. He’s the kind of personality that’s really good for the sport, and also great for Spain and his personality has helped him I think.”

For Spanish tennis, which is entering a new era following the retirement of Rafael Nadal, the emergence of Alcaraz as a figurehead is especially significant.

“After Rafa, we still have a top figure in the sport, which is huge,” Munar said. “I’ve had a close relationship with Rafa since I was a kid, we’re friends and I’ve spent a lot of time with him.

“I know Rafa better, but for Spain, it’s special to have someone like Carlos at the top now. We’ve always had great players, but we also have to recognise the value of having someone leading the way like he is.”

While Alcaraz has become a staple at the top of the game, Munar is quietly putting together a consistent season. The World No. 59 reached semi-finals in Hong Kong and Dallas and the fourth round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.

Now the 28-year-old is determined to find the winning formula on grass, a surface on which he has won just four tour-level matches.

“I love this tournament. It’s a special time of year, leading into Wimbledon and playing in a historic tournament like this at Queen’s,” Munar said. “It’s probably the month I enjoy most during the season.

“I’m feeling good. For the past couple of years I’ve been trying to make some changes to get better on grass. I think I did, and honestly, I’m feeling comfortable. It’s definitely one of the more difficult surfaces for us because we only play on it for three or four weeks a year, so it’s not easy to find rhythm. But this year, I’ve had quite a few practise sessions already. I started last Tuesday, so I’ve had a full week, and I’m feeling great.”

Those changes include tweaks and tactical shifts designed to help him adapt to the speed of grass.

“I changed the strings, which is important here. I play with natural gut, which I don’t use the rest of the year, so I need a few days to adjust, but it helps a lot,” Munar said. “There’s the movement, which is very difficult on grass. I’ve also adjusted my tactics. I am trying to play a bit more aggressively, moving forward more than usual. I think I’m really starting to feel comfortable in this type of setup.”

Munar will hope it all comes together when he meets the 2023 Queen’s Club champion in the second round on Thursday. The 28-year-old was ‘honest’ when reflecting on his chances but believes he has the ability to hurt the 22-year-old on the London lawns.

“Honestly, my chances are low. That’s the reality,” Munar said. “But if I have to face Carlos, doing it on a surface where he hasn’t had much preparation is the best-case scenario for me. It’s going to be a big challenge, but if I can play my best and he’s not at his peak, I might have a chance. That’s why we compete. That’s why we’re here.”

Regardless of the outcome, Munar knows this is more than just a match. It’s a checkpoint in his own journey on the surface.

“Beyond the result, it’s also a good benchmark, to see where my game is on grass right now,” Munar said. “Carlos is a former Wimbledon champion, so it’s a great opportunity to test myself and understand where I can improve. I see it as a challenge, and after tomorrow, we’ll see how it went and what’s next.”

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