The off-season brings tennis players around the globe to their preferred vacation destinations, seeking rest and recovery after an exhausting season of competition. Every year, certain locations gain particular popularity among athletes, becoming the meeting place for stars looking to recharge.
However, Carlos Alcaraz chose to break away from the vacation trend, opting instead for a different approach to his post-season recovery, following a demanding 2025 campaign.
Carlos Alcaraz Didn’t Go to the Maldives, Here’s Why
The Maldives has become the go-to destination for professional tennis players during the off-season. This year, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Jelena Ostapenko, Belinda Bencic, Daniil Medvedev, and many others were spotted at the tropical destination, seeking sun-soaked relaxation between the tournaments. The gathering of so many prominent names at one spot became the center of media conversations and generated widespread discussion throughout the tennis community.
Yet Alcaraz, the ATP World No. 1 at the end of 2025 despite a late-season injury, chose not to visit the exact location for a getaway. Former German player Andrea Petkovic recently interviewed Alcaraz and inquired about his decision to skip the Maldives, offering fans the real reasoning behind this choice.
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The Spaniard revealed that he had traveled to Bologna before heading home to conduct some tests on his problematic hamstring. He said, “I went to Bologna to try to play with the Spanish team. I did some tests how hamstring was looks like, didn’t looks like it. So it was a bit disappointing but right after that, I just came back home. I tried to recover.”
This particular injury troubled him during the final stages of the season, thus forcing the champion to focus on recovering rather than enjoying the off-season. When Petkovic mentioned the Maldives, he said, “No, not for me, not for me. Not this year.” He then added humor to his statement by acknowledging that the rest of the tour is already underway.
“I’ve seen so many players going. I was like, ‘I’m tired of seeing you guys. So I’m gonna move somewhere else.’” This shows that he prefers to spend his free time away from the sport, focusing entirely on himself and his well-being to maintain the highest level of performance.
Alcaraz’s ATP Finals Defeat and 2026 Season
The Spaniard lost the 2025 ATP Finals to the defending champion Sinner in straight sets in a match that lasted two hours. At 5-4 in the first set, Alcaraz received a medical timeout for an upper right leg injury when the trainers taped his hamstring, allowing him to continue the match.
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Despite this loss at the ATP Finals final, he still managed to secure the year-end World No. 1 ranking for the second time in his career. He won a total of 71 matches in 2025 while losing just 9, with a tour-leading eight titles: Roland Garros, US Open, three Masters 1000, and three ATP 500 titles.
Meanwhile, the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner is expected to continue in 2026. The two top-ranked players are scheduled to meet in an exhibition match on January 10 in Incheon, South Korea, at the Hyundai Card Super Match. This event will serve as a final preparation tournament before the Australian Open main draw begins on Jan. 18, 2026, providing both players with a competitive warm-up just days before the year’s first Grand Slam commences.
