Carlos Alcaraz overcame losing the opening set to beat Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte Carlo Masters final.
The Spaniard picked up his 18th career title on Sunday as he ended a two-month wait for a tournament victory.
X formerly Twitter / @TennisChannelThe Spaniard hinted at off-court issues during his post-match interview[/caption]
Alcaraz had not won an ATP Tour event since clinching the Rotterdam Open at the start of February.
However, he saw off Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 in Monte Carlo to win the tournament for the first time.
Speaking after his victory, Alcaraz hinted at overcoming off-court issues which saw him ‘struggling’ to step on the court.
The 21-year-old explained: “It’s been a tough month for me. On and off the court.
“I don’t want to say in public, but I was struggling stepping on the court. It’s been difficult to find a way to not think about everything.”
Prior to the Monte Carlo Masters, Alcaraz’s most recent appearance had been at last month’s Miami Open.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was beaten in his opening match in Florida, though, losing to veteran David Goffin.
Alcaraz also sent his thoughts to Musetti following their clash after the Italian appeared to be hampered by an injury.
He added: “It is not the way I would have wanted to win a match.
“Thinking about Lorenzo, he has been through a tough week, played long matches. I feel sorry for him.
“It is one of his best results, ending up like this is not easy. Hopefully it is nothing serious and he will be 100 per cent soon.”
Alcaraz, meanwhile, will now look to carry his performance into the Barcelona Open on home soil.
He is already a two-time winner of the event after victories in 2022 and 2023.
The tournament gets underway on Monday, with Alcaraz the top seed in the draw.
It will once again be played on clay as the build-up to the French Open continues.
The second Grand Slam of the year is less than two months away, with Roland Garros scheduled to host the world’s best between May 25 and June 8.
Alcaraz will head to Paris as the defending champion after beating Alexander Zverev in a five-set epic last year.
He has since added the Wimbledon title to his trophy cabinet, but was beaten in the second round at the US Open before a quarter-final exit at this year’s Australian Open.
