Roberto Bautista Agut clarified controversial remarks he made about Carlos Alcaraz in a Netflix documentary, ahead of their Queen’s Club Championships semifinal clash, per Tennis World USA. In the documentary, Bautista Agut had stated, “I don’t think he’ll win a Grand Slam by going to bed at 7 in the morning,” referring to Alcaraz’s Ibiza partying during a 2023 break, which sparked rumors of tension, per Motorcycle Sports. Speaking to analyst Manuel Sanchez, Bautista Agut explained, “I am the first one who wants Carlos to be successful in his career. He and his team know this, I have an exceptional relationship with them, and they trusted my clarification. My statements have been misinterpreted,” emphasizing that the press took his words out of context, per Tennis World USA. He added, “Unfortunately, today’s press takes statements out of context that can hurt a person—and that hurt me too,” per Tennis Temple.
The 37-year-old veteran, who lost to Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinal, reiterated his support, noting their strong bond despite the media stir, per @PuntoDBreak. Alcaraz, world No. 2, has a 2-0 head-to-head lead over Bautista Agut, with wins at Indian Wells 2022 and Barcelona 2023, per ATP Tour. X posts, like @sextaNoticias, highlighted Bautista Agut’s clarification, with @eldebate_com noting his apology to avoid controversy before the match, per. Despite the loss, Bautista Agut’s run, including a win over Holger Rune, marked his best performance in eight months, per Sportskeeda.
