Carlos Alcaraz shares the court with veteran Gael Monfils, concludes practice session in an unconventional way at Canadian Open

Carlos Alcaraz recently had the opportunity to share the court with seasoned veteran Gael Monfils during a practice session at the 2023 Canadian Open. In a deviation from the usual practice routines, Alcaraz and Monfils concluded the session in an unusual manner.

Alcaraz is coming into the Canadian Open with a string of exceptional performances. He reclaimed the World No. 1 position from Novak Djokovic after winning the 2023 Cinch Championships.

The 20-year-old's remarkable run continued as he defeated Djokovic 1-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the Wimbledon final, securing his first Major title on grass in the process.

As the top seed, Carlos Alcaraz received a bye in the first round, granting him a direct entry into the second round of the Canadian Open where he will face Ben Shelton.

Meanwhile, Gael Monfils kicked off his Canadian Open campaign with a victory over Christopher Eubanks 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 6-1 in the first round. He committed only 20 unforced errors, while Eubanks struggled with 62.

Monfils will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round. The Greek currently holds a 2-1 lead in the head-to-head record against Monfils.

Recently, Alcaraz and Monfils engaged in a joint practice session. However, what caught the attention of many was the unusual manner in which the two concluded their match.

The pair positioned themselves in close proximity to the net and rallied for quite some time until the point was ultimately claimed by Carlos Alcaraz.

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"You can always be better, you can always improve" - Carlos Alcaraz on his mentality ahead of the Canadian Open

Carlos Alcaraz talking to the press

During a press conference at the Canadian Open in Toronto, Carlos Alcaraz expressed his determination to enhance every aspect of his game. The Spaniard firmly believes that there is perpetual scope for growth and development.

"The truth is that right now, I'm not focused on one (facet) in particular, but I'm clear that I have to improve everything. You can always be better, you can always improve, so right now I'm trying to improve everything a little," Alcaraz explained.

The World No. 1 also pondered upon the demanding schedule of tournaments spread throughout the year, which leaves him with minimal time to dedicate to training and enhancing his skills.

"Obviously, in the middle of the season, when the tournaments are close together, you don't have as much time. It is more difficult to focus on things and pay more attention to them in training," said Alcaraz.