No matter how things are going on court, Carlos Alcaraz always seems to offer up a smile or two when addressing the world’s media. They were there again as the Spaniard spoke to reporters at the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, including when he was asked how his English was coming along.

“When I can, I try to make classes with a teacher in Spain, that helps me a lot to feel better on it,” Alcaraz said. “I think it’s important, and of course (I am) watching series and movies in English. I think I’m getting better. I’m feeling more comfortable in the interviews and talking with the people.”

As it relates to the defense of his title in Tennis Paradise, the good news is that Alcaraz’s right ankle is improving, too. He injured it in the first game against Thiago Monteiro in Rio in late February and retired at 1-1.

Alcaraz was fit enough to compete in an exhibition in Las Vegas last weekend with idol Rafael Nadal — who pulled out of the Indian Wells draw on Wednesday — but the first real test in an official match comes against Matteo Arnaldi on Friday.

“Probably some people are thinking about my ankle,” said Alcaraz. “Let's see if I'm going to stay 100 percent or not, but I'm feeling better as well.”

By his lofty standards, things haven’t gone to plan for him this season, even before the bad luck against Monteiro on the red clay. Nicolas Jarry beat the former World No. 1 in the semifinal in Buenos Aires, and he lost to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open. That’s no shame given Zverev’s pedigree, but few could have predicted how quick the first two sets — 71 minutes — went in favor of the towering German.

Those results don’t mesh with the expectations he has for himself, but Alcaraz is still only developing at the age of 20. He hopes for a turnaround in Indian Wells and has his game face on, albeit with those smiles still around.

“I’m coming here to defend the title," said Alcaraz, currently second in the rankings behind Novak Djokovic. “There are the best tennis players in the world. Some of them are playing great tennis this year. I know it’s going to be really difficult, but I'm here to do it. I'm here to try to defend the title. I've been feeling well in practice.” 

Without influential coach Juan Carlos Ferrero by his side in Australia as he recovered from knee surgery, Ferrero returns in the desert. The duo and other team members even visited the Grand Canyon before arriving in Tennis Paradise.

Alcaraz didn’t lose a set last year in Indian Wells, finishing by downing pal Jannik Sinner in the semifinals — the Iast time he beat the recent Australian Open winner — and Daniil Medvedev in the finale. In 2022, the lone sets he dropped came in the semifinals against Nadal.

Friday won’t be the first time the two-time Grand Slam winner meets Arnaldi. He won an entertaining three-setter against Sinner’s Davis Cup teammate last year at the US Open. The World No. 40 edged Luca Van Assche in two tiebreaks Wednesday in his Indian Wells main-draw debut.

He reached double digits in aces (11) for the fifth time in his past nine matches while rallying from a break down in each set.

A smiler like Alcaraz, the winner is bound to have the bigger grin.