Despite defeat, Carlos Alcaraz claims pressure did not get to him as streak ends

[p]Russia's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/medvedev-daniil/O8qG0Nhb/"]Medvedev[/a], a former world number one now back on the rise and ranked 11th, beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alcaraz-garfia-carlos/UkhgIFEq/"]Alcaraz[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/alcaraz-garfia-c-UkhgIFEq/medvedev-d-O8qG0Nhb/?mid=AXTmu2E7"]6-3, 7-6 (3)[/a], handed the Spaniard his first defeat of the season after 16 wins.[/p][p]But the 22-year-old, who followed up his Australian Open triumph with a title in Qatar said the streak was the last thing on his mind.[/p][p]"[b]I'm not thinking about it at all,[/b]" Alcaraz said, reiterating that his biggest challenge these days is the fact that every opponent he faces seems to lift his game for the occasion.[/p][embed guid="ae487cd1-9c2b-4f94-bc8e-7f52733836b6" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2032974079263662162?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]After dropping a first-set tiebreaker on the way to a victory over 28th-ranked Arthur Rinderknech on Monday, Alcaraz quipped that he felt like he was playing Roger Federer in every match.[/p][p]"[b]Sometimes (it) just feels they're playing an insane level[/b]," he said of those trying to knock him off his perch.[/p][p]"[b]What I'm just getting tired (of) a little bit is to get that target on my back all the time[/b]," added Alcaraz, who said Medvedev, too, played at a level higher than he'd seen from the Russian before.[/p][p]"[b]He was playing unreal, I've got to say,[/b]" Alcaraz said. "[b]I have never seen, to be honest, playing Daniil like this[/b]."[/p][p]But Alcaraz knows it's the price of excellence, and he tries to tune out the expectations.[/p][p]"[b]I have to accept it,[/b]" he said. "[b]But after everything I just realized what I had to do and what I have to think before every match and before every tournament, and it is just playing for me, playing for my team, and for my close people.[/b][/p][p]"[b]I'm not thinking about I need to win or I have to win.[/b][/p][p]"[b]It's just about chasing my goals, chasing what I just set up before every tournament. That's my mindset, so I'm not getting tired about the people thinking I have to win every match.[/b]"[/p]