Carlos Alcaraz is confident of reaching peak fitness at the 2023 Australian Open

World number one Carlos Alcaraz is confident he will be ready to compete at his best at next months Australian Open despite an abdominal injury cutting short his pre-season training block.

The 19-year-old Spaniard recovered from a muscle tear in his left abdomen that ruled him out of the ATP and Davis Cup finals at the end of his last campaign and only started full training a week ago.

Two defeats to Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi this weekend helped Alcaraz dip his toes back into action and he believes he has enough time to train and find his game before the first Grand Slam of 2023 arrives. January 16

I would say the most important thing is to practice a lot, spend a lot of hours on the field. It helps you reach your best level and be ready for the season, the reigning US Open champion told reporters in the UAE capital.

I have a month before the Australian Open, so I have time to continue training, try to reach my level and I would say that I am ready and 100% going to Australia.

The Spanish teenager, who is the youngest world No. 1 in ATP history, will not compete in any official tournaments until the Australian Open, but will participate in an exhibition at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne from 10-12. January.

Alcaraz knows that 2023 will bring him new experiences now that he is a Grand Slam winner and at the top of the rankings.

I have to be ready for that, the pressure. People, including the players, will have all eyes on me and I have to be ready for that, he explained.

But he also believes the fact that he is coming off an injury and hasn’t had much time to train could ease some of the pressure coming into Australia.

“It probably helps me a little bit trying not to think about people and expectations and ranking and things like that,” he said on Sunday.

I’m just going to see myself better and try to raise myself to a high level. Expectations, ranking and tournament are separate.

Right now I’m focusing on myself, on getting my level back and I’d say I’m slowly recovering.

Tsitsipas won the championship

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece celebrates after defeating Andrei Rublev of Russia in the final of the Mubadala World Championshi tournament in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday. | Photo credit: AP

Meanwhile, world number one Casper Ruud is also looking to continue a phenomenal season that saw him reach two Grand Slam finals – in Paris and New York – and was runner-up at the ATP Finals in Turin.

The Norwegian, who secured third place at the Abu Dhabi showpiece with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Alcaraz on Sunday, has not had much time off since Turin as he has been on a South American tour with Rafael Nadal, but is aiming for a proper training block in February after the Australian Open.

Speaking about his vision for 2023, Ruud said: I think it will go well, no matter what. If I make it to number one next year, I’ll probably be the happiest man on earth.

I need a big year to stay where I am. I know there are a lot of things to defend, but at the end of the day, what number you are, I don’t think it always matters that much.

As long as you’re in the top eight or top 10, I think that’s what most players are aiming for when they start the new year.

Greek world No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated Rublev on Sunday to secure the title in Abu Dhabi.