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"The priority is that you don't sleep until at least nine at night."
That is the 'order' that was transmitted to the entire Spanish
Davis Cup team
before the arrival of
Carlos Alcaraz
in Valencia.
The Murcian got on a private plane in New York on Monday night, with only four hours of sleep since Sunday and landed to fulfill his wish to join the
Spanish Navy
, already prepared to help him fight fatigue.
The one that drags from the
US Open
, from the little celebration "spree" at the
Mission Ceviche Peruvian restaurant
of Manhattan and even being the focus of the press.
The understandable lack of sleep is also joined by 'jet lag'.
The perfect cocktail for not being able (or wanting) to clear up the mystery of when the Murcian would be ready to jump onto the track.
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Alcaraz arrived at the Manises airport at 10:40 with the honors of head of state.
Private flight terminal, security, motorized escort of the
National Police
, secret police and a retinue of cars from the organization that transferred his entire team.
Only four or five employees came to applaud him and they were reciprocated with a huge smile from him.
Only Carlitos and his manager,
Albert Molina
, stayed in Valencia.
Not even
Juan Carlos Ferrero
, who went straight to Villena.
He, his brother Álvaro and the rest of his entourage said goodbye at the terminal before getting into the car with
David Ferrer
.
"The one you've messed up!" Said the former tennis player when he saw him
.
Number 1 was already in the custody of the Spanish Tennis Federation and captain
Sergi Bruguera
.
The conversation between the two depended on when Alcaraz would pick up the racket again.
And it took time to come face to face.
Half a dozen fans were waiting for the Murcian at the
Melià Valencia
hotel with rackets, photos and balls hunting for his autograph... and the question of when he would play, which he responded with a shrug.
«I am here, I want to contribute my grain of sand, but I have to settle down.
They have been very demanding days »
, he confessed before adding that his next dream to fulfill «would be to win the Davis Cup with Spain».
without training
On the 21st floor of the hotel, the Navy quartermaster was waiting for him.
He wasn't going to train to focus on recovering.
At your disposal spa, complete gym and, above all, stretchers and attention from the Federation physios to loosen the player's muscles after six hours of flight.
Just a premise, remember, that he didn't fall asleep.
"You have to keep him entertained to readapt rest," they
assured.
It was not until lunchtime when his teammates
Roberto Bautista
and
Albert Ramos
began to appear , who had just trained on the central court of the Fuente de San Luis where they will play against Serbia this Wednesday.
“We have already worked.
This afternoon is not planned, "confessed Bautista.
Alcaraz's greeting with his teammates and the captain took place shortly before lunch, which was unremarkable, typical of athletes in competition.
In that relaxed atmosphere but not without concentration, the Federation wants to keep Alcaraz, although they will not be able to avoid that when the Murcian goes to step on the 'Fonteta' on Friday, madness is generated again.
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