"Just trying to take it as a compliment when players....": Alcaraz ahead of Miami Open title bid

Sinner, who secured his sixth Grand Slam title by winning his first-ever Australian Open earlier this year, will be aiming to bounce back from his loss in the Indian Wells semifinals will be starting his Miami Open campaign with a clash against Joao Fonseca, the 19-year-old who pushed the eventual champion Jannik Sinner to two tie-breaks at the Indian Wells.

The 19-year-old Fonseca will be aiming to bring his fearless, attacking style against the world number one in their first head-to-head meeting, which will undoubtedly be a fire versus fire clash given the high intensity, aggressive and flashy playing styles of both players.

"I think I am just trying to take it as a compliment when players try to play their best, more aggressively if they want to beat me," Alcaraz said in a pre-tournament interview in Miami as quoted by the ATP official website.

"I think it is a great thing to know, and obviously, I am just really happy that they are taking us [as] players to try to beat, and we are trying to make them improve as a player as well. So for me, that is great."

"But sometimes when I step on the court and see the opponent playing that level, it is not that funny," he concluded.

Alcaraz said that his focus is on being "one step forward" and "trying to see what their opponent's next move is going to be before they make it".

"It is like chess in a way. I am trying to be there a little bit earlier or trying to think what is going to happen next. Then I can think about my move. I am trying that or just trying to be more aggressive than them or trying not to let them be in a good spot all the time," he concluded his point.

Alcaraz clinched his first ATP Masters title at Miami way back in 2022 and has a solid win-loss record of 13-4 at the event. During the last year's edition, he faced a first round exit after shock loss to David Goffin. (ANI)